


Golden Days

by AellaRose



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Creature Fic, Creature Harry, Elf Harry, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Panic Attacks, Powerful Harry, Veela Draco Malfoy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-10-21
Packaged: 2019-06-22 02:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15571695
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AellaRose/pseuds/AellaRose
Summary: While cleaning the attic, Harry finds an odd looking chest that holds secrets no one seemed inclined to tell him.





	1. How do you know you're an elf?

In the small town of Little Whinging, there lives a family that desperately strives to be normal. With their perfectly average garden and their two car driveway, the neighbors are made to feel jealous just how normal they are. However, as hard as the Dursley’s attempt to cover it up, there is one abnormality in their lives. This abnormality takes the form of an eight year old Harry Potter, and as dawn rises on the town, Harry is already making a dent in his list of chores for the day. 

After finishing scrubbing the floor of the kitchen free of dirt, Harry sees a difference in his list of chores left for him the night before. Between the usuals of ‘weed the garden’ and ‘wash the dishes’ there lies a new chore. 

“Bring down Halloween decorations” Harry muttered to himself. Uncle Vernon would normally begrudgingly bring down the boxes from the attic, as they were far too heavy for Harry. This year they seemed to have forgotten that detail, or far more likely, no longer cared. 

Harry had never needed to go into the attic before, and had honestly been a little scared to. While after years in his cupboard he wasn’t afraid of the dark, he was a little weary to fall down the rickety ladder steps that Uncle Vernon normally made him hold. 

Though his marks in school might make you think otherwise, Harry wasn’t stupid. He knew that children shouldn’t have to be going into dark places without an adult, and he knew that other kids didn’t have to do all these chores for their family. But he also knew that he was a freak, and that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hated freaks. So he didn’t tell anyone about how he was treated, because if his own family thought he was a freak then so would the teachers who saw the bruises on his arms or the decline in his schoolwork. 

Harry shook his head, he needed to focus so that he would be able to make the Dursley’s breakfast in time. If Uncle Vernon or Dudley was up before he had their food on the table, he would be in the cupboard for a week. He washed his hands, grabbed what he needed from the fridge, and got to work. 

When he was four and first started cooking, he had to use a stool to reach the counter and, as expected of a four year old, his cooking was horrible. He constantly burned it and so all he was allowed to eat was the burned remains of the food while his family went to the nearby diner. Now however, he was much better, and didn’t burn the food nearly as much. So Harry was always proud when he sat the food down, and this was no different. A delicious looking egg breakfast with toast was set down in preparation for Uncle Vernon and Dudley to come stomping down for in a few minutes. Aunt Petunia was already out at a friends house for some gardening meetup (even though Harry was the one who worked on the garden).

As Harry was putting food away for Aunt Petunia, he heard the thundering footsteps of Dudley and Uncle Vernon heading down the stairs. And though he ignored this, he was still harshly shoved into the counter by Dudley. 

“Watch it, freak. Don’t wanna mess up breakfast.”

Harry glared at the back of his head as Dudley walked away. He wished he would just choke on his food already. He ate so often that it had to happen at some point. Or at least that’s what Harry told himself so he wouldn’t go insane. 

Steadfastly ignoring the scent of eggs and bacon from the kitchen that smelled amazing to him after living on the scraps of his cooking for the past two weeks, he went into the garden to finish his early morning chores before he faced the atrocity that was the attic.  
He knelt down in the dirt and began scanning the flowers for weeds. Gardening was one of the only chores he truly enjoyed. It was a way out of the house and it gave him a sense of accomplishment that he hardly ever had the luxury of feeling. The garden was something he could claim as his own, and the feeling of sustaining life was increasingly satisfying to him. 

He was abruptly jostled from his thoughts as his head was shoved into the flower bed he had been weeding. He heard his cousin laughing cruelly behind him and picked his face up from the dirt, now covered in mud. 

“Dad! The freak ruined mom’s flowers!” Dudley yelled as he ran back towards the house. 

_Oh no_ Harry thought as he frantically attempted to rearrange the flowers before his Uncle could come out. But he had no luck. Most of the flowers were now crushed and some of the grass around him was pulled out in an attempt to stop his fall. He was then pulled up ruthlessly by the back of his collar and ripped away from the flower beds. 

“Boy! Your Aunt and I ask you to do one thing in return for housing you and feeding you instead of putting you in the orphanage where you belong. No food for the rest of the week!” And with a harsh slap to the face, Harry was shoved into the cupboard. 

Harry waited with bated breath in the dark for his Uncle's footsteps to fade. He cradled his face in his hands as he sat on his small cot. His Uncle hadn’t locked the door, so he was most likely still supposed to finish his chores before the end of the day. So Harry waited in the dark until he heard the thumping of the stairs, and then the slam of the front door to leave his cupboard. His cousin and Uncle were off to some sports game, leaving him until at least 10:00 until anyone was home. 

Checking the clock revealed it was about 3:00, which left just enough time to finish if he worked fast. Rushing out to the garden, Harry grabbed the list of chores he had left out there. Even though the list was muddy, it was still coherent enough to read. There were five chores left to do, the next of which was the attic. However hesitant he was do do this, the threat of Uncle Vernon’s fury was enough to force him to pull the string to bring down the ladder. 

Harry yelped and jumped back as the ladder fell where his head was moments ago. Breathing heavily, he pulled the ladder all the way down to the ground and with a moment of hesitation began to climb. 

When Harry reached the top of the ladder he stumbles around blindly in complete darkness. Attempting to feel for a lightswitch, Harry almost immediately trips over something close to the size of him, scattering it’s contents on the floor after it falls. 

Harry decides to ignore this for now and continue to the lightswitch. He flicks it on and the room is basked in light. Finally being able to see, Harry turns around. On the floor is a fairly large chest with its contents strewn about in the floor. There are a few large books and a couple of ornate looking notebooks. There are some glass vials scattered about that somehow didn’t break when the chest fell over. 

“Maybe they’re Aunt Petunia’s?” he murmured.

Harry bent down and picked up a book. It was large and heavy, like the older kids have at school. Flipping it over the front reads ‘Guidebook to Creature Inheritances’

Harry frowns in disappointment. He had wanted to find something important, not some fantasy books. However, he does have to wonder why these books were up in the attic in the first place. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon hated anything remotely unnatural and it looked way too thick for Dudley to read.

Putting the book back in the chest, he finds that the other two have similar titles. ‘Creature Rights’ and ‘Literary Mythical Creatures (and Where to Find Them)’

Discouraged by the lack of anything useful, Harry stacks the books before moving onto the vials. However, before he can grab one, he notices there is a note in the midst of the vials. The note seems to not be written on paper, it was harder and creased in many places. The ink looked to have smudged, but the note was still legible. The note read:

_My Dear Harry,  
However much I hope that you will never need to read this note and that I can explain this to you in person, I must be prepared for this possibility. If you are reading this note, I am no longer with you. Hopefully you are living with your father or Remus and Sirius, and they are around to comfort you. If you do not know this for any reason, you are a wizard. I’m sure you’ve done some accidental magic or done something you can’t quite explain. This is why. Your father and I are both very powerful wizards, so you should have done some magic by the time you read this. _

_However, that isn’t the only thing that makes you special. My family, while not pureblood like your father, come from a long line of squibs. The witches and wizards of my family all have one thing in common, we are all elves. I have no doubt that this trait of our family will carry onto you. Because of this, if you are ever feel like you are in a threatening situation please drink the green potion. It will apparate you to the nearest elf colony without being traced. The other vials will undo certain glamors put upon you for your protection. When you feel comfortable with undoing these, read the label on the vial to see the trait._

_I also have left you books in my trunk to explain further to you what being an elf entails._

_I love you so much my Harry, and I will always be with you even when I’m not there physically._

_With all my love, your mother, Lily Potter nee Evans._

_P.s. This trunk has a location spell keyed to your magical signature, so no matter where you go it will go with you until you cancel the spell._

Harry was definitely being pranked. He knew that Dudley hated him but he didn’t think he would ever go this far. Pretending to be his dead mother to make him seem like more of a freak than he ever was? It’s really horrible. But Dudley didn’t know half of the words used in that note, so it couldn’t of been him. Maybe Uncle Vernon? No, he wouldn’t spend the money to buy the books or the trunk. And it can’t be Aunt Petunia because she was terrified of all of the words used there. She would never say magic or wizard. 

Could it be real? Harry had done some things that he had just thought had come with being a freak. Like when he changed the hair color of his teacher when she was being mean to him. Or the time where the flowers were dying and he made them grow back. And even the other day when Dudley and his friends were playing Harry Hunting and he teleported to the roof.

He needed to read those books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is my first fic on A03, and I really hope you liked it! I have big plans for this story so please keep checking in on it.  
> You can follow me on tumblr at https://aellaroses.tumblr.com to send in requests and for story previews!


	2. How to Survive Fatal Injury

Harry, without realizing, had spent the last few hours reading through the books in the attic. While he hadn’t gotten far into the elf section of the final book, he had learned a lot from the others. An elf was a very broad term that covered many species. There were house elves, light elves, dark elves, elementals, and many more smaller tribes that had been hunted by wizards and witches because of their creature status. 

A lot would make sense if this was true, because even though he didn’t know what type of elf he actually is, there were many traits that all elves held in common. His love for gardening would have stemmed from a connection to the Earth, and his curiosity was something that was reportedly present in many young elves.

He was still uncertain if he believed in all this or not, but it was better than believing that he’s a freak. After long seven years with the Dursleys, Harry was desperate for any proof that his parents loved him and they weren’t useless drunks or drug addicts.

However, if this was all true why was he left with his Aunt and Uncle and not the people his mom had thought he should be with now? ‘Sirius’ and ‘Remus.’ Their names were a little weird and he didn’t know them, but _anything_ would be better than the Dursleys. What if they didn’t know where he lived and they were looking for him? If that was the case he needed them to find out where he was. Or he could try and find them. Maybe his mom had said something about where they lived? Scanning the note once, twice, and then three times, Harry found nothing about where either of them could live.

Getting increasingly desperate, Harry scanned the chest. If he could find the company that made it then maybe they would remember one of his parents. The chest looked like it had been custom made so it would make sense for someone to recall that big of an order. 

Shockingly enough, this yielded results in the form of small text on the upper right side of the inside of the chest reading _Alatar’s Chests of Secrets, Diagon Alley Charing Cross Road Entrance_. Harry was ecstatic, while it wasn’t an address, it was a step closer to freedom. All he needed to do was find out where Charing Cross Road is and find this shop. Hopefully they would know something.

Harry’s good mood was quickly replaced with a wave of icy terror as ba door slammed open downstairs. A quick glance at the clock informed him that it was 9:43. He had somehow been up in the attic for the last seven hours. Sprinting to the box of decorations in the corner, he attempted to lug it to the ladder quickly, hoping that if the decorations were down Uncle Vernon would forget about the rest of the chores. Doing this quickly proved difficult as the box was much heavier than he was able to carry. Far more slowly than he would like, he brought the box to the threshold of the ladder and began dragging it down. As soon as he did this he heard someone yelling.

“Boy! Why are there dishes in the sink? Get down here now!” Screamed an enraged Uncle Vernon.

Harry jumped in surprise, and in doing this lost hold of the box. The heavy box crashed into his chest and jaw, forcing him to lose his grip and fall backwards. And with white hot pain flaring through his head, all Harry knew was darkness.

The next few hours were a blur to Harry as he faded in and out of reality. He felt like he was constantly moving, swaying and spinning to the point where he felt sick. Any light that penetrated his eyes was blinding as the few remaining hours of the day bled into darkness, only to return in what felt like only a few minutes. His eyes were blurry and tongue heavy with the taste of copper. This uneasy experience continued until a wave of unconsciousness overtook any coherent thought.

When Harry next wakes up, the first thing he notices is the utter amount of _pain_ he is in. His head is pounding, ears are ringing, jaw is swollen, and he can hardly breathe. _Am I dying?_ Harry contemplated this for a moment before realizing that at this very moment he couldn’t care any less. Dying would be better than this. 

Before this, the worst injury Harry had had was the time Dudley choked him while his friends beat him up. While that had been horrible, this was way worse. And if Harry was remembering correctly he had done this to himself this time, which makes things way worse. Not only would he be in pain, but he would be in pain _and_ Uncle Vernon would blame him for it. That means that Uncle Vernon will be angry which guarantees more torture for him. 

In an attempt to help himself Harry begins to sit up from the cot in the darkness of his cupboard, thinking that if he can get outside and do some chores to make up for being lazy, Uncle Vernon might not be as mad. However, the second he tries to sit up he falls back down again. Searing white pain flashes through his whole body and Harry bites his lip so that he won’t scream out in pain. Nevertheless, he pushes through the pain, biting his lip so hard it begins to bleed, and sits up slowly. His body yells at him but he ignores it for the moment, instead pulling at the cupboard door with shaky fingers. Locked. And from the lack of light entering the space, Harry guesses that was how it would be until morning. 

Deciding going back to sleep with his head injury was a bad idea, Harry decides to check out how badly hurt he is. Feeling at the back of his head, his hands meet something crusty attached to his hair. Pulling his hands back reveal a dark colored brittle substance caking his hands. Harry distantly notes that it must be dry blood. The notion that he is badly hurt hardly draws any emotion from Harry. Actually, the whole experience has left him feeling strangely numb. An odd kind of detachment that Harry normally only faces when his Aunt or Uncle is yelling at him.

Pushing this dilemma aside for later, Harry continues to check for injuries. Starting from below the eyes, he finds that nothing is wrong with his nose. He then attempts to move his jaw and is immediately met with searing pain as his jaw clenches. He relaxes his jaw and while the sensation is not gone, it fades. He cradles it with his shoulder and continues. 

As he moves further down, he pushes down slightly on his ribs and a stabbing pain runs through the lower half of his body, forcing his jaw out of position and adding to the pain. Despite all of his best efforts he screams. Thankfully, it’s not very loud, but he still holds his breath in case anyone had heard. When he doesn’t hear footsteps, he sighs in relief and cautiously layes himself down on the uncomfortable cot. He never manages to quite fall asleep, so he simply stares at the walls and contemplated the recent events.

Harry’s first concern was just how _long_ he had been out for. When he was in that woozy state of semi-consciousness he remembers seeing the passing of light through his cupboard grate. The lights in the Dursley house always went off for the night, so according to that logic he had seen that passing of what was at least three days, and who knows how long he was out for after that. 

Harry suddenly felt dizzy in a way he couldn’t attribute to the pain in his head. Three whole days of doing absolutely nothing would infuriate Uncle Vernon, and that was taking it lightly. He was already doomed. If Uncle Vernon was mad when he ruined the garden, then he would be absolutely incensed by the lack of anything being done for so long. 

While fretting over this, Harry missed the light streaming through the door of his cupboard until he heard repeated pounding over his head as dust streamed over his forehead. 

Harry jolted up, both bumping his head on the stairs above him and sending his body into a whole new wave of pain. His ribs felt like they were on fire as some slipped out of place or hit his knees. Clenching his teeth, Harry succeed in not letting out any noises apart from a small grunt of concentration. 

He heard laughing over his head as the poundging stopped. Footsteps then thumped down the rest of the stairs. Most likely Dudley trying to ruin his day in any way he can. While this usually was a futile attempt, Dudley had succeeded in adding to his pain that morning.

What really surprised Harry was that this event wasn’t followed with a pounding on his cupboard door. And it stayed that way for the rest of the morning, even as a car drove out of the driveway and as Aunt Petunia left the house for the day. So Harry was forced to wallow in his pain for the rest of the day, trapped in silence and alone with his thoughts. Though this did give him a lot of time to ponder what he saw in that chest. 

He had begun to believe in what he read. The more he considered it, the less he thought that it was a joke. What his relatives had told him was freakish was actually _magic._ And honestly, at this point, if there’s any option that doesn’t include him being a freak he wants to believe in it. The only issue was that he had no idea just how to do magic. Or even what magic could do.

His train of thought continued in this direction until the door of the house banged open. From the heavy sets of footsteps, he knew that it had to be Uncle Vernon and Dudley returning home. 

Sitting up slowly, he prepared for someone to open his cupboard, but it never happened. Uncle Vernon and Dudley walked straight past his cupboard. Peeking out through the grates showed him Uncle Vernon carrying a box of pizza. Harry supposed he wasn’t being let out to make dinner. They seemed to be ignoring him. While slightly worried with this development, Harry comforted himself with the thought that they couldn’t leave him in there forever.

Over the next few days Harry discovered that was exactly what they intended to do. The only time he was let out was when Aunt Petunia led him to the bathroom. He was offered no food or water, and could only quench his thirst with the tap water from the bathroom sink.

By the third day of this, Harry was unable to sleep through the hunger twangs that racked his body at all hours of the day. With the lack of nutrients, his body also wasn’t able to heal his wounds correctly. So not only did Harry feel like he was starving to death, he also had to deal with an infected head injury. 

But there was nothing he could do about it. The door was always locked, and Aunt Petunia always followed him to and from the bathroom in order to make sure he doesn’t steal food. So Harry, resigned to his fate, curled into a ball and somehow managed to fall asleep.

By the fifth night, Harry could no longer sit up on his cot without his eyes blurring and falling backwards. Harry was seriously afraid that the Dursleys were trying to kill him. He didn’t want to die here. Alone, injured, and in the dark. Without anyone to miss him or even notice he was gone. 

Tears streamed down his cheeks as he realized that the Dursleys would be _happy_ that he was gone. And he would be able to see his parents again.

But he didn’t want to die. He wanted to have a family and live a happy life. And so with every ounce of his being Harry reached far into himself and _pulled_ until he heard something click.

Light cascaded into the room as the door creaked open. Harry blinked in surprise, bringing up shaky hands to wipe away tears. Had he done that? He stared at his hands, trying to see any magical residue that could have been left behind by the impossible feat.

He shook his head, he wasn’t going to let this opportunity go to waste. Crawling on his hands and knees, he exited the cupboard. He pushed himself up on trembling arms to his feet. 

His legs quivered as he creeped into the kitchen. He dragged himself over to the fridge, retaining enough clarity to go for something in the back of the fridge. He spotted some leftover pasta he had made the week before. Carefully grabbing it, he ate it cold with the desperation of a dying man, which wasn’t too far off. Finishing it up, he washed the tupperware it had been stored in and returned it to its place in the cabinet.

Now that the crisis of starving to death was averted, Harry had to wonder where he should go from there. It was probably too risky to stay with the Dursleys. What if they continued starving him and he couldn’t get out again? No, he couldn’t stay here, but where else could he go? 

Thinking quickly, he recalled the address he had found in the chest. Something along the lines of Charing Cross Road. If he could get there and find the people his mom had mentioned maybe he could stay with them. After all, it was better than staying here.

With this in mind, Harry walked out the door of the house that had never been his home, and didn’t look back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot happened this chapter, but luckily we’re entering the wizard of world next chapter, which will be up next Sunday!
> 
> Follow my tumblr at https://aellaroses.tumblr.com for previews of the next chapter before it comes out!


	3. How to Stay Sane

In Harry’s rush to exit the house, he had forgotten how numbing the chilly october air truly was. The cold began to penetrate the thin layers of Dudley’s cast-offs as he rushed down the dark streets as fast as he could with his injuries.

Nursing his jaw, Harry belatedly realized that he had no real plan to get to this shop. He had no money to get on a bus or the tube. He had been so worried about getting out that he didn’t think to take, well, anything really. No money for any necessities. No food for the road. He had been in such a delirious state that it had been impossible to think properly. And if he knew anything, he knew that people weren’t nice for no reason. Nobody would be helping him here. At least he was used to it.

Guessing that knowing where this place is would be a good idea, Harry limps over to the nearest bus stop to take a look at the map. 

Charing Cross Road was in Central London, about two hours away from where he was right now. He would have to take two busses to get there, each ride costing £1.50. While this wasn’t a lot of money, he still needed to be able to buy food and water until he finds a place to stay long term.

He’d have to get money _somehow._ He knew that adults get jobs when they want money, but he was only eight. No one would hire an eight year old. 

Harry was startled out of his worries as the light pattering of footfalls approached him from behind.

“Excuse me? Are you lost.” A woman’s voice questioned.

The lady looked as if she had just gotten off an office job, decked out in a dress and heels. Her brown hair was styled into a loose looking bun, messy from a long day at work, Harry guessed. She looked genuinely concerned for him, which was something he hadn’t seen directed at him for a long time.

“No ma’am, I’m alright.” Harry responded.

The woman’s face morphed into a frown. She had clearly seen the state he was in and didn’t believe him whatsoever. He needed to shut this down quick.

“So then what are you doing out at…” she checked her watch “Eleven o’clock at night?’

She raised an eyebrow, almost challenging in her approach towards him. Daring him to prove her wrong.

“I’m coming back from a friend’s house for the night. I stayed a little later than planned.” Harry laughed sheepishly, moving his hand to rub at the back of his neck.

The woman’s eyes seemed to soften. Harry wasn’t surprised. After years of living with the Dursleys, Harry was skilled in looking more innocent than he appeared. While this kind of thing almost never worked on them, it was unlikely that this lady had any reason to disbelieve him.

“Oh, okay. If you’re sure everything’s okay I’ll take my leave. Travel safe okay?” She reached down to pat his head before moving on her way.

Harry stood in shock for a few moments before snapping out of it. This lady looked well off. Surely she could spare some cash? Squashing down the guilt in his gut, Harry pulled on the same desperation as when he had unlocked the cupboard. Focusing on her purse, he thought about how much he needed this money, and willed it towards himself.

A wad of cash flew out of her purse and into his outstretched hand. Luckily, the woman never faltered in her gait. She hadn’t noticed.

Hoping she wouldn’t mind too much, Harry began to count how much money he had gained. There was around £70 in all. It wasn’t much, but it would last him the ride and, if he played his cards right, the rest of the week.

Harry sat down in the booth. According to the map, the next bus would be coming in thirty minutes. While a bit of a long wait for how cold it was out, Harry decided that this whole endeavor was well worth it. He would never have to see the Dursleys again, and maybe, just maybe, he could find somebody who actually _wanted_ him.

It was such a strange concept to Harry that there may be people out there who actually care about his well-being. After all, he had grown up as the unlovable freak. The delinquent. The kid whose parents were alcoholics. The burden.

Harry wondered what it would be like, to be normal. He’d have parents who love and care about them. They’d make him dinner, and read him bedtime stories. Maybe when he’s sick they’ll make him chicken noodle soup like Aunt Petunia always does for Dudley.

He continued fantasizing this way until the bus pulled up, hot air wafting over him as he entered. 

While an unusual way of paying, the bus driver allowed him to hand him the £1.50 and swiped a card for him. Thanking him profusely, Harry moved towards the back rows of the bus. Due to the late time, the bus was nearly empty, which left a large amount of places to sit. He sat all the way in the back, hoping to draw as little attention to himself as he could.

The bus moved slowly and stooped quite frequently, which had been a surprise to Harry. He had figured that late at night there would be less stops to take. However, even though almost no one got on the bus, he supposed the bus driver still needed to make sure.

It was a boring hour or so ride, though it passed by quite quickly, and before he knew it he was getting off for the next bus. 

It was a rather shady area that left Harry checking over his shoulder frequently as he walked to the next stop. When he finally reached the bus stop, Harry was heaving and had his arms wrapped around his middle. While it had only been a fifteen minute walk, Harry’s ribs had been loudly groaning in complaint for the entirety of it, leaving him winded. He swore to himself that as soon as he was able to he’d have someone look at it.

Sitting down at the bus stop, Harry spent the ten minutes or so of waiting hunched over in pain as a woman seated next to him looked at him in concern. When he went to get on the bus, she offered to pay for his ride, seeming to understand that he was having a rough time. He thanked her, moving quickly to the back as soon as she swiped him in.

The ride passed quickly from the couple of ten minute naps he had been able to sneak in. He was left feeling dizzy and disoriented as he exited the bus, not completely sure if it’s from his still bloody head or simply the result of waking up.

From there it was simply a ten minute walk to Charing Cross. So while he doubted this store was open at one in the morning, he determinedly trudged down the few blocks it would take to reach there.

Harry began to feel anticipation build in his chest as he walked the last two blocks. This could be it! He could be finding a family!

However, once he reached the street, Harry was terribly disappointed to note that not only is there nothing open on the block apart from a shady pub, there is no chest maker shop down the whole road. The store had to have shut down. There was no other explanation. 

Harry couldn’t believe his eyes. He had done this all for _nothing!_ He felt tears leak down his face as he realized that not only was his last thread to his family ripped away, he was alone, on the streets. He had been sure that by tomorrow he would have some kind of clue to follow, but now he had nothing. No food, no clothes, no home…

He shouldn’t of let himself hope. He thought that he had killed off all of his hope years ago, because at least if he was going to be hurt, he wouldn’t of expected any different. Now he felt disheartened, which was an emotion he hadn’t let himself feel in a while. And it _hurt._ It was the kind of pain that was all consuming. That left him struggling to breathe as he realized that even breathing was hard now that he wasn’t working towards anything.

Nonetheless, Harry couldn’t stand in the street all night. So he took a deep breath, wiped his eyes, and swore he wouldn’t feel this kind of pain ever again.

He looked at the pub, from the sign it seemed to be called ‘The Leaky Cauldron.’ It looked shady, and at this time of night it was all but empty, but it was the only choice he had. So he steadied himself and began to walk across the street.

However, before he could do this, a harsh shudder ripped through his body as he felt a wave of magic envelop his body. His whole face felt tingly as it’s features changed. This experience didn’t feel wrong per say, as it was his own magic doing this to him. It was almost as if his magic had decided to do this _on its own._ Could his magic be sentient?

Deciding to ponder this later, Harry quickly looks at himself in the windows of a nearby shop. For a second, Harry didn’t even realize that was him. He looked completely different! His hair was a fluffy chestnut brown, well brushed and flat against his head. A stark contrast to his normal hair. His eyes were hazel, sometimes looking brown and other times looking green. Despite this, the most startling difference was his face. His chin was stronger and he had higher cheekbones, leaving an almost regal appearance. All in all, he looked completely new. 

Harry was almost panicking, looking completely different had thrown him for a loop. The only thing keeping him from a complete freak out was his magic swirling around him soothingly. He had to trust that it had a reason for doing this. It wouldn’t just do this randomly.

So with a determined look on a face he could only hope was temporary, Harry stepped into the inn.

The inn, while run down looking on the outside, wasn’t horrible on the inside. The whole place was heated pleasantly, with long tables lining the walls. It had kind of a rustic charm to it. Surprisingly, it was very welcoming. 

Finished with surveying the room, Harry looked towards the bar. There were very few people sitting at it, and behind it there was a tired looking person that Harry guessed was either the owner or a member of the staff. Guessing it was as good as he would get, he approached the bar, feeling the surprised glanes of the patrons on the side of his head.

“Hey kiddo, how can I help you?” The man behind the counter asked, smiling in a way that revealed his crooked yellow teeth.

Forcing down a shudder, Harry pasted a smile on his face.

“Do you have any rooms available for the night?”

The man glanced at him in a questioning manner.

“Do your parents know you’re here, kid?”

Harry groaned mentally. What was it with people suddenly caring about him? It was clear at the Dursleys exactly what they wanted from him. All these people looking after him were going to want something, and he wished he could know what it was. But that time would come when it did, and Harry figured he had more important things to worry about for the moment.

“I’m going to meet up with them in the morning. I just need to stay for the night.” Harry explained.

The man looked like he wanted to question more, but seemed to have abruptly decided against it. 

“Okay then. A room will be nine galleons.” The man said, holding his palm out.

Harry had no idea what in the world a ‘galleon’ was but it was certainly not a form of currency he had. Maybe pounds would work?

“Erm, I only have pounds.” Harry stated cautiously, scanning the man’s eyes to catch emotion.

While he seemed surprised, the man, who he learned was named Tom, requested £50 in exchange for a room key. So Harry payed and was sent on his way up the twisting wooden staircase. 

As he entered the room, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the magic stop coating his body. Glancing in the mirror across the room confirmed that he was back to his normal appearance. With his major concern handeled, he was free to look around the room. The first thing Harry noticed how much better it was than the downstairs. The room was a comfortable size, with a small desk that for some reason has a quill and ink on it. The aforementioned mirror was laid near the headrest of a queen sized bed, decked out with blue comforter and matching pillows. He’s rather happy with how clean looking it is

Scouring the room a little more, Harry notices a door near the desk on the wall. Making a beeline for what he assumes is a bathroom, Harry limps faster than ever. Opening the door reveals to him a small bathroom equipped with a shower, toilet, and a sink. 

After not showering in a week, Harry is desperate to get clean. So despite how hungry he is, his first order of business is to get in the shower and clean off. So Harry quickly turns the shower on and gets in. The water stings against the wound on his head, causing him to release a small hiss of pain before bringing up his hands to shield himself from the water. Scrubbing his head lightly, he makes quick work of the dried blood and dirt sticking to his skull. He then speedily cleans the rest of his body before getting out. 

Feeling like a new person altogether, Harry encounters a whole new problem, clothes. The only clothes he had were the grimy clothes he had been wearing for the last week and a half. But he had no choice, so he quickly threw the clothes on and swore to buy at least one change of clothes as soon as he can. 

Feeling refreshed and calm, Harry flops down onto the bed, momentarily forgetting about his injuries. Biting back a groan of pain, Harry stares at the ceiling of his new room. He treasures this moment because for however temporary it is, this is the first time he can remember sleeping in a real room. So with a smile on his face, Harry quickly fades into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaa! I can’t believe how positive of a response this fic has gotten! Thank you all so much for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting!
> 
> Follow my tumblr at https://aellaroses.tumblr.com for previews of the next chapter before it comes out!


	4. How to Be Homeless

When Harry finally awoke, the sun was far too high in the sky for it to be morning. Harry couldn’t believe that he had wasted all the hours of the a.m. It had to have been the latest he had ever slept in. However, he felt that after the crazy day he had had yesterday, his body must’ve needed the sleep. After all, he felt more rested than he had in years.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Harry sat up and glanced around. Harry had been so tired the previous night that he somehow hadn’t noticed the room was light with _candles._ The inn must be in financial _ruin_ for them not to be able to afford electricity. But whatever, it wasn’t as if he was staying for long.

Harry swung his legs over the bed, hopping down to the floor. As he padded over to the bathroom to prepare for the day, Harry stubbed his toe on something that had most certainly not been there the previous night. Harry blinked his eyes in shock. Somehow the chest that had been at the Dursleys was now at the foot of the bed.

Swinging the top of it open, Harry scanned the contents of the chest. Everything that he had previously seen in the chest was there, including the letter from his mom. 

Harry clutched the note tightly to his chest, thanking any kind of deity that may be out there that he hadn’t lost this note. He had already lost any chance he had at a normal life, he didn’t need to lose a link to his parents too. So in an almost reverent way, he lightly placed the letter back inside and closed the lid. 

Even after discovering his own magic, he somehow hadn’t believed his mom when she said the chest would follow him. However, now that he thought about it, he could see a fuzzy kind of whiteness around the box. Harry squinted his eyes at it. When he focused, the box seemed to take on a reddish tint that lightly swirled over the entirety of it. Could that be magic? Or something close to it?

He still hadn’t gotten a grip of his own magic, so Harry really had no idea what this could mean other than what he already knew, the box was magic. 

Pushing this aside for now, Harry begins to formulate a plan. The last thing he wanted was to end up in an orphanage, so the first major thing he had to do was avoid any adults on his way to shelter. He didn’t quite know where he would go, but he did know how to stay out of sight. After all, Uncle Vernon would always get mad when he saw him. And that never ended up good for him. 

Maybe he could just walk until he found somewhere to stay the nights, it wasn’t like he needed somewhere during the daytime. He’d need to get money somehow during the day anyway.

So with some semblance of a plan in mind, Harry heads into the bathroom to wash up a little bit, not wanting to look too horrible in case he runs in to anybody on the way out. When done in the bathroom, Harry pulls on his shoes before heading towards the door. However, he abruptly realises that his magic had changed how he looked the previous day. It had to have done that for a reason.

So Harry attempts to replicate the feeling he had the day before. He pulls at the magic inside of him and even attempts to shudder, but when he opens his eyes, he looks exactly the same. Groaning, Harry closes his eyes again. Maybe it would take a different way than he usually did magic, after all, the whole feeling had been different than when he opened the cupboard, or when he summoned the money. So he turns to the magic around him, reaching towards it while it flicks around him. Finally, he grips it tightly and pulls it towards him, shuddering violently.

When he opens his eyes, he looks entirely different than the way he had yesterday. He had blonde hair that reached all the way down to his shoulders, paired with bright blue eyes. His face looked slightly softer as well, still chubby looking with baby fat. 

Harry had expected a replica of the same look as yesterday, but he supposed it made sense. He hadn’t had any idea in mind of what he would look like when pulling on his magic, he probably had to envision what he wanted to look like. 

Trying one more time, Harry focused on how he looked yesterday. Finally, when Harry opened his eyes, he saw the person he looked like the day before, though his eyes were now brown rather than hazel, but he doubted anyone would notice.

Slightly exhausted from this, Harry takes in a few deep breaths. His knees feel shaky and his back aches. His ribs were also bothering him, but he figured this was just from his previous injuries that haven’t had the chance to fully heal. 

Once he regained some level of control over his body, Harry looks around the room one more time. The chest still sat at the end of the bed. Harry highly doubted he could carry the chest, but could he really just leave it there? He knew that it would follow him, but what if someone found it before he found somewhere to camp out. Maybe… he could make the chest invisible? Or at least keep other people from seeing it.

Only, he was already tired from the magic he had already done today. It probably wasn’t smart to do more magic right now, but, it was really his only choice right now. So, steeling himself, he pulls on his magic and focuses on what he wants. He needs the chest to be unnoticable. He needs for no one to be able to see it. So with that intent in mind, his magic swirls around the box, covering it. Only when he envisions his magic completely enveloping the box does he open his eyes.

The box is encased with a bright mix of red and violet, intertwining beautifully as the colors turn more vibrant than Harry had seen on the chest before. He knew that his magic had taken effect.

Comforted by the knowledge that his chest was no longer in any imminent danger, Harry looks around one final time, and leaves the room.

Yet, as soon as he reached the stairs, he was met with an overwhelming wave of dizziness. He gripped the top of the bannister as the world swirled around him and he fell to his knees. Harry rested his head on the bannister while he waited for the world to stop spinning.

When he finally regained his bearings, Harry rose to shaky knees and wobbled where he stood. He really shouldn’t of pushed himself. 

Gripping tightly to the railing, Harry dragged himself down the stairs. As he reached the bottom of what felt like a seemingly endless amount of stairs, Harry realized that he had made a scene. Most of the bars customers were staring at him worriedly. They probably heard him fall upstairs.

Smiling sheepishly, Harry heads on unsteady feet towards the door. 

“Hey Kid! You alright?” 

Shoot, he was caught.

Harry turned around, seeing the man who had given him the room last night coming towards him, leaving the bar unattended for the time being. 

“Yes sir, I’m alright.” Harry smiled disarmingly. He should’ve been out of here by now.

“Well let me at least take you to where you’re meeting your parents. Diagon Alley?” The man asked.

Diagon Alley? He’s heard that somewhere before. Had his mother mentioned it in her note?

“Er, Yes! Could you show me where that is?” Harry requested excitedly.

“Certainly, lad. Just follow me.” The bartender said, moving back towards the back of the inn.

Harry rushed after him, his short legs unable to quite keep up with the man as he walked. His dizziness had almost cleared up by now, but walking so quickly so soon was difficult.

The man ended up leading him out of the back of the bar. The back was completely empty, surrounded by cobblestone walls. He had heard Aunt Petunia warn Dudley about going to secluded places with strangers, which is, well, exactly what he had done. Of course as soon as he got free from his relatives he would be murdered.

Harry began to slowly back away from the man as he pulled out a stick from his back pocket. However, when the man tapped it to the wall, the places where he tapped it became coated with a yellow aura. This man was using magic! Focusing more on the wall, he could see many, more faded, colors underneath his.

After tapping certain places on the wall, the yellow came together to open the wall. 

Harry gasped. Behind the wall was a whole _town_ that he hadn’t been able to see before. People in robes walked down the road towards shops coated with magic. Heck, the whole town was covered with an array of colors. Could everyone here do magic? He had been under the impression that it was a little more rare than the huge amount of people here displayed.

A cough startled Harry out of his thoughts, he had completely forgot about the man he was with.

“Alright kid, I’m gonna have to leave you here. I gotta tend to the bar. Come back if you can’t find your parents, okay?” The innkeeper said.

Harry nodded, stepping forward as the wall closed behind him. So this was Diagon Alley. 

Maybe, just maybe, this was where the chest shop was. His mom (and maybe his dad) had magic, so it’d make sense for a _magical_ chest to be made in a magical place. If not, maybe he could go and ask people? Maybe people with magic all know of each other. 

But where would he even start? He could just… pick a direction. And wander. It was the best plan he had. It wasn’t like he could use magic after exhausting it earlier.

Walking forward, Harry looked around at the shops. He saw everything from a potions shop to a broom shop. It was just like the witches in the shows on the telly that Dudley would watch. 

However, after thirty minutes, his body was beginning to ache after walking for so long with his injuries, and he still hadn’t found the chest shop. He was starting to lose hope.

Harry split from the crowd and looked for a place to rest for a bit. 

To his left was a bookshop called ‘Flourish and Blotts.’ It seemed fairly empty, save for a few patrons flicking through some books. It seemed like a nice place to rest and maybe learn a bit about magic.

Opening the door, Harry glances at the desk. It was staffed by an older man who was currently talking to a brown haired man who appeared to be in his early thirties. Having gotten in without being noticed, Harry darted between bookshelves. 

Harry looks at the titles of the books as he walks by. ‘The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection.’ Interesting, but not exactly what he was looking for. ‘One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi.’ He wasn’t really that invested about learning about plants. Harry needed to learn the basics before anything else.  
“A History of Magic.” Harry mumbled to himself, spotting the book on the shelf. That sounds promising.

Flicking to the table of contents, he goes to the section on early history and sits on the floor before beginning to read.

_”Non-magic people (more commonly known as Muggles) were particularly afraid of magic in medieval times, but not very good at recognising it. On the rare occasion that they did catch a real witch or wizard, burning had no effect whatsoever. The witch or wizard would perform a basic Flame Freezing Charm and then pretend to shriek with pain while enjoying a gentle, tickling sensation.”_

Muggles. He had heard people talking about them out in the alley in passing, and not in a particularly good way either. He didn’t exactly blame them. The Dursleys were all muggles, and they were horrible to him. He supposed that most people were afraid of things they don’t understand.

_“Upon the signature of the International Statute of Secrecy in 1689, wizards went into hiding for good. It was natural, perhaps, that they formed their own small communities within a community. Many small villages and hamlets attracted several magical families, who banded together for mutual support and protection. The villages of Tinworth in Cornwall, Upper Flagley in Yorkshire, and Ottery St Catchpole on the south coast of England were notable homes to knots of Wizarding families who lived alongside tolerant and sometimes confunded Muggles."_

While Harry didn’t understand half of the words used there, he did get the gist of it. Muggles were dangerous, and magic should absolutely not be used in front of them. However, there did seem to be ‘tolerant’ muggles. While he had never met people like that, Harry did know that not all people are the same. It was obvious to hm that are good people and bad people, even though he only attracted the bad people. 

Placing the book back on the shelf, Harry figured he was rested enough and moved to stand. He went to leave the store only to find the brown haired man still talking to the person at the desk. He had to have been reading for at least twenty minutes. 

“Well Terence, you certainly know how to draw me out of my house. Offering me not one, but two rare books, for free?” The brunette said jokingly.

“Anything to get you out of that house more often, Remus.”

_Remus?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for reading and leaving kudos! It means so much me that you like the story so much. I'll see you next Sunday!


	5. How to Live Again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Panic attack in the beginning of the chapter

Harry’s mind whirled as he attempted to process this information. Remus, one of the friend’s of his parents, a person who apparently _knows him_ was right here, in this random bookstore.

He wasn’t prepared for this. What would he do? Should he just go up to him? No, that’d be weird. Remus would probably be mad at him. He shouldn’t bother him with his friend! But he couldn’t let him leave. He had to go to him! And what, tell him you’re the son of his dead friends. That’d go great. Plus you don’t even look like them right now! He’ll think you’re crazy. 

Oh no he’s leaving.

Breathe!

“Kid, are you okay!” A voice shouted.

Harry looked up, tears ran down his face. When had he started crying?

“Okay I need you to copy my breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Can you do that for me?”

Harry took breaths desperately as sobs racked his body. 

In

Out

In

Out

He could do this. He was fine.

No! Why couldn’t he breathe?

“What set him off?” A new voice mumbled.

“I don’t know, right now isn’t the time Terence!” It was the first voice.

Don’t focus on that. Focus on breathing.

His sobs slowed as he looked at his hands. He flexed them. He was okay, he was here.

Where was here?

Harry glanced up. Right, he was in the bookshop. With-- Remus.

Remus and the older man, Terence if he remembered right, were staring at him in concern. Remus was crouched over him, he looked shaken. What an amazing first impression that was. 

“Kid, are you okay?” Remus asked softly, almost whispering.

Harry stared at him for a second. He nodded his head slowly, glancing to the side. He didn’t want to meet Remus’s eyes. 

“Well, is it okay if I ask what happened?”

Great, how would he explain that one. _I randomly panicked over seeing you because you’re the friend of my parents I’ve been looking for for a week. But believe me they are my parents I just don’t look like them!_ Remus would probably think Harry’s pranking him.

Well, he could fix at least one of those things. Harry released the magic coating his body, returning him to his original state.

Remus and Terence gasped at the display of magic. Seeing the brown hair turn black was a shock even if they couldn’t see the boy’s face.

“Are you a metamorphmagus?” Remus asked, interested.

The boy raised his head.

“A what?”

However, Harry never got an answer as Remus froze. His gaze darting over Harry’s face unbelievingly.

“Harry?” Remus exclaimed.

“Harry Potter?” Mumbled the other man.

Harry gulped before nodding his head. This was completely mortifying. Remus was disappointed, who wouldn’t be?

Despite this, Remus lunged forward to give Harry a hug, tears leaking from his eyes.

“I can’t believe I found you! I look for you for years and then I just stumble upon you! What are you doing here? Dumbledore said you were in a muggle household. How did you even get here?” Remus rambled on.

Harry couldn’t believe his ears. Remus had _looked_ for him? For years? He had _wanted_ to find him? The best Harry had been expecting out of him was Remus begrudgingly having to take him in. Maybe learning to tolerate him after a while, but this was crazy. His mom had said that Remus and Sirius would care for him but this was more than he ever could’ve expected. Wait…

“Where’s Sirius?”

Remus abruptly stopped rambling, his happy smile slipping a bit at the mention of him. Harry frowned.

“Is he okay? Mom’s letter said he was your friend.”

Remus glanced away.

“Harry, Sirius is a very bad person. He did a horrible thing to your parents, and now he’s in prison for it.” 

Harry’s brow furrowed, that wasn’t right. His mother had trusted Sirius to look after him. However, as he opened his mouth to explain this, Remus cut him off.

“Look Harry, Sirius isn’t important right now. What matters is _you._ What are you doing here Harry?” Remus said, smile firmly back in place, if a little strained.

“I-erm-I ran away.” Harry mumbled to the ground.

“What was that?” Remus asked.

Harry glanced at him, somewhat ashamed to say it aloud.

“I ran away.” Harry said, louder this time.

Remus’s eyes widened dramatically. Gripping Harry’s hand tightly in disbelief. 

“You ran away! From where?” Remus demanded.

Harry’s eyes filled with tears, Remus was mad at him. If he got too mad he’d probably send him back to his Aunt and Uncle no matter how mean he told Remus they were. He should’ve lied or something. Said he got kicked out.

“Harry…” Remus said gingerly.

Harry sighed, he was going to have to tell him. And probably the truth, because Remus is a wizard, he could probably tell when he lies.

“From my Aunt and Uncle. They were mean to me.”

Remus glanced at Terence.

“Mean how?” Remus asked.

“They never liked me. They were mean! Please don’t send me back!” Harry pleaded. His lips quivered as tears flooded his eyes. He couldn’t of gotten this far just to be sent back!

A beat of silence fell over the store, luckily empty apart from the three of them.

“Harry, we won’t send you back. Never, okay?” Remus promised.

“Remus, we have to tell someone about this.” Terence whispered.

“Terence, we can’t! You know damn well they won’t let me take him in. Nobody else knows he was here. Please don’t tell.” Remus beseeched him.

Terence glanced at Harry for a second before responding.

“Fine, but if people find out he’s with you, I wasn’t a part of it.”

“Thank you so much! You won’t regret it.”

“Eh, I probably will.” Terence laughed.

Harry glanced back and forth between the two men. Remus actually wanted him, he wasn’t just going to abandon him the first chance he gets. He wanted to stick around and care for him, and maybe he actually would. But Harry promised himself not to get his hopes up. Just because someone doesn’t want to leave doesn’t mean they won’t. After all, his parents had left him.

“C’mon Remus, take your kid and leave. I need to re-open the shop.”

Harry hadn’t realized he had closed it, he probably shut the doors during his weird panicky thing.

“Harry, can you do that thing again? Where you change how you look?” Remus asked delicately.

Harry twitched his fingers, staring at swirling array of colors around him. He should have enough magic left to change himself for a few hours. So, instead of answering the question verbally, Harry transforms into the little boy he had been before. This time, when he looked in the store window, he saw that his eyes were blue. Apparently it was a little hard for him to get the eyes down. 

Harry’s eyes turned to Remus in answer, getting up to head out the door. Ignoring this, Remus swipes back his hair as Harry jumps in surprise.

“The scar is still there.” Remus murmured.

Harry coughed lightly to get his attention. Remus jumped, looking at him in shock. Harry gestured towards the door, he didn’t know how long he could keep up this look and was unsure how long the commute to Remus’s home would be.

Remus laughed lightly at his impatience. He bent down to grab Harry’s hand and went to walk out the door. Quickly waving goodbye to Terence, the two walked down the road at a quick pace.

“Where are we going?” Harry asked. They were walking towards where he entered. Why would they be going back to that pub?

Remus glanced down at Harry before regaining his gait.

“We’re heading to the floo. It’s safer than apparating when you have two people.”

Floo? Apparating? Was this some magic thing he hadn’t heard of? Harry voiced his questions to Remus and was met with a look of surprise.

“I forgot you were muggle-raised. The floo system is like a fireplace that can transport you places when done correctly. Each magical household has a floo to connect to, I’ll tell you how to do it when we’re there. Apparating is like teleporting, but it can be really dangerous, so don’t try that until you’re older.”

Wow, Remus was really smart. He should be a teacher.

They continued their walk in a comfortable silence as people around them talked. It only took them about twenty minutes to get to the floo now that Harry could walk a little faster.

Once they got into the back part of the pub, Harry steeled himself for possible interaction with what he now knows to be wizards. But as soon as Harry walked into the bar he froze. Every person in there was now surrounded by a color. Spanning out towards other people and sometimes mingling when they spoke. If he had to guess, the exposure to magic and auras in the Alley has left him attuned to it. Glancing at Remus, he saw that he has surrounded by a vibrant blue, mingling lightly with his own violet.

Remus tugged on his arm lightly, guiding him towards the fireplace in the middle of the pub. He grabbed some dark colored powder from a nearby bowl before shoving it into Harry’s hand.

“Once you step into the fireplace, I want you to throw down the floo powder and yell ‘Lupin Lodge.” Can you do that?”

Harry nodded and stepped forward into the fireplace.

“Lupin Lodge!”

Harry suddenly felt as if he had been lifted into the air as emerald fire overcame his body. As he went, he saw other fires and other destinations. And while he had wanted to see what the other places were, the speed of the floo was too quick.

Before he knew it, Harry landed in the ash of another fireplace, forcing him to tumble forward onto the floor, covered in soot.

A few seconds later Harry heard a thud behind him as Remus landed in the floo. After a few seconds of shock, Remus burst out laughing. Harry pouted and looked to the side.

“No, Harry! Don’t get me wrong here! Everyone’s first attempt goes horribly. It’s just hilarious every time. When you learn how to do it better, you can laugh at other people’s first try too.” Remus said, still laughing lightly.

Harry peered up at him through his hair. He guessed it probably did look kind of funny. Him, face first on the floor, covered in soot. He gave a little giggle at this himself, wiping some soot of his face before freezing. He looked at Remus panicked, Uncle Vernon had never liked it when he laughed. He had always said that freaks didn’t deserve to be happy. Would Remus think the same thing?

However, Remus only laughed with him, brushing some soot out of his hair with his fingers.

Harry figured that now was a good time to give his magic a rest, and dropped his disguise, leaving a regular Harry, still coated in soot.

With that out of the way, Harry glances around the house. It was fairly run down, the downstairs seemingly consisting of a small kitchen with a tiny dining table shoved into it, and the living room that had a small torn up couch in front of a coffee table covered in bottles that read ‘Firewhiskey’ on them. All in all, it was tiny and decrepit, but he already felt more at home here than he had ever felt at the Dursleys.

“Oh, I’m so sorry Harry! If I had known I was going to have people over today I would’ve cleaned up a bit. It’s really a mess in here.” Remus said, looking around disappointedly.

“It’s fine Remus. I was a bit of a surprise.” Harry rubbed his neck while he laughed awkwardly.

Harry looked at Remus for permission before heading up the stairs. There were three closed doors upstairs. When he peeked into the first one, he found a small bathroom with any essentials he would need. The second room was a guest bedroom, with a small twin size mattress and a dresser. Poking his head into the last room, Harry found what he supposes is Remus’s room, consisting of a queen size mattress, a desk, and a wardrobe. Nothing too crazy interesting. 

Closing the door lightly, Harry heads back down the stairs to find Remus holding a large trash bag, cleaning the living room of bottles.

“Oh, Harry! I assumed you were getting settled in. The bedroom closest to the stairs is yours, if you want to get set up in there. I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.” Said Remus, racing about the room to tidy up.

Figuring that Remus didn’t want to be bothered right now, Harry heads into the guest bedroom, or, rather, his bedroom now he supposed. Wait, he had a bedroom now! His first one ever. It might not be the largest, or the prettiest, but it felt like home. 

Laying down on top of the white and black polka-dotted sheets, Harry truly relaxes for the first time in a while, even if the mattress bumps poked into his back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Thank you for reading!! It really means a lot to me. 
> 
> Also, small note: I get panic attacks fairly often, and while this portrayal of Harry has panic attacks is similar to mine, I do understand that that experience is different for everyone. The breathing exercise that I used here is also a way I calm down from my anxiety. Any other techniques used in the future are just tricks I do to calm myself down, and seem to be fairly common on the internet.


	6. How to See Magic

“Harry! Wake up! Time for dinner!”

Harry groaned, rolling to the side slightly and pulling his blanket all the way up to his chin. His exhaustion was bone deep, limbs feeling heavy and numb after being ripped from his short rest. 

Shifting once again, Harry’s ribs groaned in protest. He had almost forgotten about the throbbing in his ribs and jaw. And while his head injury was almost healed by now, his other injuries didn’t seem to be making much progress. Hopefully nothing was broken, but any bone bruising would have almost completely cleared up by now. He had always healed unnaturally fast from any injuries he acquired at the Dursleys. While he had thought he was just lucky, it was probably the work of his magic.

Careful of his ribs, Harry slightly turned his body into a sitting position. He should probably head down before Remus got angry at him. 

Harry padded his way to the staircase, making his way down it. Since the house wasn’t very large, it only took a few steps to reach the kitchen.

On the tiny dining table were two paper plates accompanied by a fork and a knife. Between the plates there was a bowl of rice and a plate that held a few pieces of breaded chicken. While nothing extravagant, it looked like Remus had put in a lot of effort into the meal, especially when you consider that Remus didn’t have much money.

Looking around the room once more, Harry noticed Remus by the small kitchen nook, chopping some vegetables. Since he hadn’t yet been greeted, it wasn’t likely that Remus noticed him come in. He had been very quiet after all.

Harry coughed lightly causing Remus to jump a few feet into the air. When he turned around there was a hint of gold in his normally green eyes. Harry flinched backwards violently.

“Oh, Harry.” Remus released a sigh of relief, “I thought it would take you a little longer to get ready. I’m almost done with the tomatoes. You go sit, I’ll be there in a second.”

As Harry sat, an awkward silence overcame the kitchen, only interrupted by the occasional sound of metal on wood.

What had happened with Remus then? He knew that Remus was a wizard, but that didn’t seem like something strictly… wizardly. After all, Remus’s magic had hardly reacted to what his body seemed to recognize as a threat. It had almost seemed instinctual in nature, something he couldn’t quite control.

Harry was startled out of his thoughts as a chair loudly began to scrape the floor. Looking up sharply revealed that it was only Remus going to sit, a bowl of sliced vegetables in hand. 

“I’m sorry about that Harry. I realized you were in the room, but you seemed a little out of it. I ended up getting lost in thought, and well, you startled me.” 

Harry looked down at the table, wasn’t he just making an amazing impression.

“Sorry.” Harry mumbled.

Remus looked taken aback. Had that not been what he wanted? 

“Why are you apologizing? You didn’t do anything wrong. I’ll just have to be more attentive next time.”

Harry gave him a tentative smile and Remus gave a blinding one in return. Remus’s eyes crinkled and his eyes shone happily, his cub was finally reaching out to him.

“So, why don’t we have some of the food before it gets cold.” And with that Remus began placing some of each food on his plate. Was Harry expected to eat that much?

Hesitantly, Harry put only a little bit of each food on his plate, earning an odd look from Remus, but thankfully he didn’t comment.

The first five minutes or so of the meal was done with a comfortable silence. Remus didn’t seem to be the kind of person that needed to force conversation in order to be comfortable, which Harry was thankful for. Harry wasn’t the best conversationalist, and the last thing he needed was Remus feeling uncomfortable because Harry couldn’t start a conversation. 

“I hope this doesn’t cross any lines,” _oh no_ “but I was wondering how you found out about magic in the first place?”

Okay, that was an easy question. Harry could answer that.

“Ah, well, I went up into the attic at my Aunt’s house, and I found this chest that mom left for me. In a letter she said that I could do magic and some other stuff. That’s also where I heard about you” the and Sirius was left unsaid.

Remus looked thoughtful, eyes narrowing slightly in concentration. 

“Do you still have the letter?” Remus asked.

Harry glanced up at his room. The previous day it had taken the chest about a day to find him. Or maybe it was because he had fallen asleep?

“I can check.” Harry said, almost more of a question than a statement.

“How about you do that after dinner? We can go read it together.” 

Harry looked down at his plate. He had only had a few forkfuls of rice and he already felt full, he hadn’t even touched his chicken. But Remus had looked so proud to have gotten a nice dinner together for him. It’d be rude to not eat it. So with a determined set in his jaw he started cutting the chicken. He only managed to get about half of it down before he felt too nauseous to eat anymore.

Remus looked at him concernedly. Harry’s face was pale and his hands were trembling as he went to put his fork down.

“Harry, are you alright?” Remus said worriedly.

“I’m fine.” But Harry wasn’t. He felt bile rise in the back of his throat as his ribs screamed in pain. He clenched his eyes shut. Before he knew it there were hands clutching onto his arms. He hadn’t even heard Remus get up from his seat.

When his eyes opened, he saw Remus kneeling down by his seat. While Remus was rubbing his arm, his magic was swishing back and forth in concern, part of it curled around his own comfortingly. 

“What just happened?” Remus asked softly.

Harry looked at his feet as he swung them back and forth, his hands squeezing together uncomfortably. 

“Please Harry, I need to know these things if you’re going to be living with me.” Remus pleaded, tugging at his wrists.

“Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon don’t normally feed me that much.” Harry’s hands clenched tighter.

The glint of gold was back in Remus’s eyes. He shouldn’t of said that.

“How much did they feed you?” There was a hint of a growl in Remus’s voice. Should he not have taken that much food?

“Er, their scraps mainly. I mean-- eventually I got used to it. It’s not like I _need_ to eat that much.” Harry said quickly.

Remus’s eyes had almost completely turned gold by now, his magic flicked about angrily, thick strings of blue forcing thing off of shelves and tables, while encasing his own in an almost protective way.

“And is that why you ran away?” Remus rasped.

Harry looked around sharply at the damage going on around him. He needed to stop this. Calm Remus down somehow.

“It’s not like they never fed me! I mean, until the end there, but I’m not with them anymore anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.” He needed to end this somehow, he wasn’t completely sure what Remus wanted but… “I’m with you now, so you can change all that.”

The gold in Remus’s eyes faded and his magic calmed down, but the blue of his aura still stayed entertwined with his violet. 

“I’m sorry for reacting that way, but what they did to you was horrible. I won’t let you go back to them, ever. You’re safe here.” While Remus still shook with fury, he realized that he needed to be the strong one here. Harry didn’t need to see him react to this with anger, he needed support. And that’s what he would give.

Remus raised his hands and placed them in Harry’s hair, ruffling lightly. 

“How about you lay down for a bit? You don’t have to sleep, but it would be good to take it easy.” Remus didn’t wait for him to answer before tugging him up from his chair.

The two of them made their way up the stairs and into Harry’s room. Harry hadn’t noticed on his way down but the chest had appeared in the corner of the room. He supposed it shows up whenever he goes to sleep in a new place. 

Pointing out the chest to Remus, Harry limps his way over to the bed, clutching at his ribs as he went to sit down, something that didn’t go unnoticed by Remus.

“Are your ribs hurt?” Remus questioned lightly.

Harry nodded slowly as he hugged himself around his center, magic encasing him defensively.

“I-uh-I think I broke some at the Dursleys house. Maybe my jaw too.”

Luckily, Remus didn’t question him and quickly left the room with a hurried “Be right back.”

When Remus returned he had a stick in his hand like the bartender at the bar had had. It was absolutely coated in the blue magic that surrounded Remus. He was in awe of it, but when it was raised to point at him he shrunk back quickly as his magic lashed out, forcing the stick out of Remus’s hand, it landed halfway across the room with a resounding clatter.

“I’m so sorry! I should’ve told you what I was doing before pointing my wand at you. I just wanted to fix your ribs as fast as I could.” Remus apologized as he went to retrieve his wand. Now Harry just felt stupid for worrying.

When Remus once again picked up his wand he raised it much more slowly this time, giving Harry plenty of time to get away. When Harry only braced himself, Remus pointed his wand at his ribs.

“Brackium Emendo!” 

Harry groaned as he felt his ribs shift in and out of place. It felt as if there was something burning his stomach as he felt fragments of bone be forced out of nearby muscles. While this torture felt like it lasted for eternities, the entirety of it had only taken about a minute. 

Even though this had brought him huge amounts of pain, Remus looked relieved. Before Harry could ask why he looked so pleased, Remus was pointing his wand again, this time at his jaw.

Remus repeated the spell, and Harry’s whole jaw was forced forward as shards of jaw fused together once again. Afterwards, he felt complete relief that both of his major injuries were healed and he immediately began to feel better.

“Thank Merlin that worked out as well as it did. I’m not exactly _certified_ to use that spell. And it’s a pretty complicated one too. But I couldn’t exactly take you to St. Mungo’s, you’re _Harry Potter._ ”

Harry furrowed his brows in confusion. Why was there such a strong emphasis on his name. He wasn’t really anything special, especially around wizards.

Remus must’ve seen the look of confusion on his face because he didn’t hesitate to respond to it.

“Of course your Aunt wouldn’t even tell you _that._ Harry, do you know how your parents died?”

Harry looked at him, baffled. Did Remus somehow not know?

“They died in a car crash. They were drunk driving.” Harry knew this for a fact, it was one of the many reasons the Dursleys had hated him. However, after seeing the appalled look on Remus’s face he somehow wasn’t so sure anymore.

“A car crash?” Remus’s face scrunched up in a mix of disgust and rage. “They told you Lily and James died in a car crash?”

Harry nodded quietly. Was that not what happened?

“Harry, I’m sorry to break it to you but your parents did not die in a car crash.” _What?_ “Your parents got killed during a wizarding war. The man who killed them was V-Voldemort, he was the leader of the opposing side of the war. He tried to kill you too, but his curse deflected back onto himself. You ended the war, and because of that, you’re famous.”

Harry felt the nausea that had long since gone away come back with a burning vengeance. His parents got murdered? He was famous? This completely changed everything. He was used to being able to blend into the background, but if he’s famous then people would constantly be looking for him. And someone had tried to murder him! What if he got targeted again?

Harry’s thoughts swirled as his breathing quickened. Before he could even begin to panic, Remus was rubbing his back, soothing him. Remus’s magic forced his own from going too crazy. When he finally calmed, the hands continued but his magic retreated.

“Thank you” Harry smiled tiredly at him. “I don’t know what my magic would’ve done without yours keeping it calm.”

“What do you mean?” Remus said, looking confused.

Harry looked at him oddly, checking at his magic once again to make sure he wasn’t going crazy.

“You know, the swirling colors around people. Is that not their magic?”

Remus froze, looking to him slowly.

“You see… colors around people?”

“You don’t?”

Remus’s eyes widened in fascination. His magic flicked out a bit.

“Harry, that’s amazing! I’ve only read about people who can do that in books! How does it work?” Remus was practically bouncing up and down, looking more excited than Harry had ever seen him.

Harry explained what he could do so far, which really only extended to seeing the magic around people and things. If anything, Remus got more inquisitive.

“Have you ever manipulated other people’s magic?” Remus asked curiously.

Harry scrunched his nose. He hadn’t done that. He hadn’t even thought about it. Was that something he could do?

“Do you want to find out?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really hope you liked the chapter! Thank you for reading and leaving kudos/comments!


	7. How to Spell the Elements

Harry sucked in a harsh breath as he stood in front of Remus, staring intently at the colors circling around the other man. Why did Remus _want him_ to mess with his magic? What if Remus got hurt? Or if this left him without magic? He would despise Harry forever after that. 

However, as he had learnt from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, if you didn’t do something an adult wanted you to do it would only mean trouble. So with a strong resolve, Harry begins to tug at Remus’s magic. 

The magic is overwhelmingly soothing to interact with. The other man's magic seems to be reaching out to him. The blue tapping at his purple as he tries to maneuver it into doing something. This continues until a flash of green flares in the corner of his eye, and begins to attach itself onto his purple. It seemed to be apart of Remus's magic.

His own lavender magic flares up, tugging harsher and hasher at Remus’s own, focing it away from the man’s body. Harry tried to wrangle his magic under control, but nothing he did seemed to be working. Remus, seeing Harry’s struggle, and feeling the tingly feeling in his body, begins to walk towards the boy. 

With the heightened proximity, Harry’s magic gets even more frantic, tearing at edges of greenish blue. Harry’s eyes fill with tears. He would destroy him at this rate! Harry wrenches himself from where his feet had been rooted in the ground not seconds previous. Harry stumbles out of the kitchen and into the sitting room, rushing up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him. When he reached the guest room he slammed the door shut behind him, throwing himself on the bed.

As he stared at the ceiling, not truly seeing, his magic swirled around him soothingly. For the first time since he had learned of it, Harry wished he didn’t have the twisting colors. What use was it if it hurt Remus?

As Harry continued to stare at it with a tired kind of anger, he noticed a few abnormalities in his magic. In some places it seemed to be stained the same shade of green as the magic he had torn from Remus. It was a weird feeling, like a heavy weight on a limb that he didn’t have. Only, when he focused on these stains, he could see the color slowly spreading as his lavender moved away from it, almost repulsed. 

Harry reaches his arm out to a small section of the green currently attached to him. A small shock runs up to his elbow from his wrist as he waves his hand through it. Harry yanks his hand back, cradling it to his chest. But this attempt didn’t seem to be for nothing, the green had separated from his purple in favor for encasing his hand. Shocks ran up and down his arm as the green moved about. Harry flailed his arm in an attempt to shake it off, but it stuck to him stubbornly. 

As Harry began to panic, breathing in harsh gulps of air as he fell to the floor. His magic spread from corner to corner of the admittedly small room. The magic calmed him down slightly, but even it seemed at a loss for what to do.

Only, with his magic spread outwards in an attempt to protect him from an invisible threat, he could feel something else within him, tucked deeply down underneath where his magic could normally be called upon. In a panic to stop the green from spreading any further up his arm he tugged and tugged at the not-quite magic lying dormant inside of him, but it felt as if something was holding it in place. 

Getting increasingly frenzied, he began to tear at any of it he could reach, and as purple rushed towards him, he felt the energy come out. In an explosion of colors and sounds, the world around him slipped away to black.

When Harry’s eyes next opened, he wasn’t completely sure he had truly opened them. Blinking a few times,Harry realised that his eyes were, in fact, open. It was just really dark, wherever he is. 

Harry had seemingly passed out against a hard, rough surface. His arm was lying next to him, thankfully not hurting anymore. The overcharge of energy probably forced the green away from him. Standing up, Harry hits his head against the ceiling of the room, or whatever it was. Crouching down, Harry raises his arms above his head, feeling from the “ceiling” to the bottom of the walls. The room was tiny, only large enough from him to sit in, and not quite large enough for him to spread his arms out all the was. The top of the room was curved. 

Harry hit at the ceiling lightly, causing a few rocks as well as a small cloud of dust to fall on his face. However, it didn’t feel like the wall was even slightly weaker, even as he proceeded to pound at the walls until he was covered in dust, and there were pebbles in his hair. 

In here, Harry couldn’t even pull his magic to him, though he could feel that it was just outside this small structure, which comforted him greatly. His internal magical reservoirs were completely depleted, most likely from protecting him from the blunt of that explosion from before. 

So Harry was stuck here, completely unable to use magic, or any other strategy to get himself out of this one. Only, there was one other thing he could pull upon. But that energy from before, while no longer contained, was still risky. He didn’t know how to use it, or even what it does. But he really didn’t have any other choice.

The energy within him felt desperate to be used after not being used for so long. When he tapped it, it wiggled slightly before reacting. The energy flowed through him, into every inch of his body and pooling into his fingers, feeling like molten lava, burning him. When the energy in his fingertips overflowed the tip of Harry’s finger was lit with a small flame. Harry yelped and fell backwards, banging his head on the wall. He stared at his finger in disbelief, it was on fire. And it wasn’t burning him. Wasn’t being on fire supposed to hurt? 

Harry supposed it had to be part of the energy that protected him from the flames. Or maybe it was because he was the one that made it? Either or, Harry wasn’t one to waste a blessing like this. Finally being able to see the room, Harry discovered it wasn’t a room at all. It seemed to be an encasing of thick rock that enclosed a small area around him. Was this another art of his abilities? 

Harry ran his fingers down the walls of the rock once again and belatedly realised that he didn’t feel terrified to be trapped in rock, where he was likely losing oxygen for every breath he took. He guessed that the average person would be at least a little scared in this situation but he honestly felt kind of… calm. In his element.

As he laid his hands flat on the rock he took a deep breath and concentrated. This energy didn’t work like his magic did. While his magic would usually did what he instructed to do, this energy was more testy. It needed to be coerced into doing things rather than simply being told to do it. So rather than pulling as he would do with his magic, Harry prodded this energy on a track towards his hands. However, Harry knew he must not of done this correctly when a blast of fire shot out from the hand resting on the rock, scorching it. 

Harry closed his eyes and pressed more insistently into the wall, making sure to have a clear idea of what he need from it as he once more guided it to his palms. This time the energy didn’t feel burning, it felt like a dull ache in your body, the kind you get after exerting yourself too much. 

When the energy releases from his hand Harry suddenly feels strained, as if he was holding the rock up himself. He focused first on thinning the walls, somehow getting heavier the more he thins the walls. When the strain finally gets too much, Harry moves his palm away from the wall. Luckily the wall looks thin enough to hit through. So with a swift kick to the bottom of the wall of rocks, Harry makes a hole big enough to crawl through. 

When he finishes getting out, Harry is suddenly tugged of the floor and into a sturdy pair of arms that wrap him into an embrace. From the shade of blue (that thankfully still held some green in it) that surrounds him, he figures it must be Remus holding him. Well, that and Remus is the only person in the would that would _want_ to hug him.

“Harry! Thank Merlin you’re alright! I was worried.” Remus said, voice wobbly. Had he been crying?

“Merlin?” Harry asks, head tilting to the side curiously. A safer question.

Remus laughs lightly, moving to ruffle his hair, causing a few rocks to fall out. When Remus pulled back from the hug the whole front of Remus’s shirt was covered with dirt. Harry’s smile wobbled. He hadn’t meant to get Remus all dirty.

Something must’ve shown on his face as Remus was quick to reassure him.

“Don’t worry about the shirt, it’s a simple spell to clean it.” Remus smiled at him warmly.

Happy that he hadn’t ruined the shirt, Harry returned a small grin. That grin almost immediately fell as he looked around the room. It looked like a bomb had exploded. Spikes of rock split through the floor, some large enough that you could see the lower floor. The biggest spike was the one he had previously been trapped in. The floor around it was only standing up because the rock had embedded itself into the floor around it.

Along with that, all of the furniture in the room had been knocked over and completely sopping wet. It looked as if anything on any surface had been thrown across the room. This included his mother’s chest, which was thankfully intact, though across the room from where it had previously been. 

Throughout the room was an odd combination of puddles and scorch marks. The rock that had surrounded him had a circle shaped scorch mark all the way around it. All in all, the room was completely wrecked. Maybe even the whole house.

“The room…” Harry trailed off, not all too sure where he was going with the sentence.

Remus sighed, looking around at the room as if he was seeing the room for the first time. A frown quickly grew on his face.

“Harry none of this is your fault, but I don’t think I can repair this damage. Not with all these rock spikes.in the way. And the bottom floor is not too much better, there’s a lot of holes in the floor from the rocks. I don’t think it’s safe to stay here unless we hire someone to fix it. Which I… don’t think I can do right now.” Remus seemed to wish to spare Harry some of the details. It was odd for Harry to be treated this way, protected from adult issues.

“Is there anywhere else we could stay? At least until until I can move the rocks?” Harry questioned.

“Harry, you don’t have to do that. The cottage really wasn’t big enough for two people anyway. I’ll look for some other house.” Remus reassured him.

Harry frowned deeply. He didn’t want to make Remus leave his house behind for him, especially if he could fix it. Harry opened his mouth to protest this but Remus cut him off.

“Really Harry, it’s fine,” Remus sighed, “We’ll stop at Gringotts in the morning. You don’t look like you’re up to holding that disguise right now.”

Harry shrugged lighty, he didn’t really think he was up for that, but if Remus had to go now then…

“I have a magical tent in my supply closet downstairs. It should be fine still. We can sleep in that for the night.” 

Remus then apparated away with a loud pop, likely to get the tent. Harry supposed they were going to “Gringotts” tomorrow then.

Remus appeared back in the room a few minutes later, hesitantly grabbing Harry’s wrist.

“I set up the tent outside. I’m going to have to side-along apparate you there, I don’t really like how unstable the stairs are looking.” Remus explained eyes flickering as he stared into Harry’s, making sure he was fine with this. 

Once Remus received a small nod he gripped Harry’s hand a little tighter and apparated.

The feeling of apparating was highly uncomfortable, like being forced through a straw and being spat out the other side. It was a feeling that left him dizzy and nauseous by the time he reacher the other side. If it wasn’t for Remus holding his wrist Harry would’ve fallen to the ground.

“First time is always a little rough,” Remus muttered to himself, “Are you okay?”

Harry nodded before looking around. Nothing was really that interesting to note apart from the tent set up in the grass. Looking to Remus for permission, Harry walked into the tent.

The first thing Harry noticed was how large the tent was. In the outwardly tiny looking tent was two rooms and a sitting area. Harry looked at Remus in disbelief as soon as he walked in, before remembering that, well, they have magic. He must be really tired to miss that.

A large yawn forced its way out of Harry’s throat, and a few seconds later Remus did the same.

“They do say yawns are contagious,” Remus chuckled “But we really should head off to bed. You can take the room on the right. I’ll see you in the morning.” Remus gave him a tight hug before heading into the room on the left, quickly disappearing from view.

Once Remus was gone, Harry headed past the sitting room and into the room on the left. The bedroom was fairly small, holding only a bed, a desk, and a closet. The bed was smaller than the one in the cottage, and had plain white sheets. The sheets seemed to match the cream colored walls of the tent. The closet was off to the left, right next to a desk with some paper on it. It was a pretty good room, overall.

While he wanted to stay up a little longer, his body seemed to disagree with that notion. So with his body sore and deeply tired from the amount of magic he had used that day, Harry quickly collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! I'm about to start writing another fic as soon as this chapter goes out (non-HP related) it should not effect the update schedule of this one, but I will be a little more busy after it goes out. This story will take priority over the other one, so no worries at all.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for leaving kudos and comments last chapter, it really means a lot to me since I do put a lot of my time into this story. I hope you like this chapter as well :))


	8. How to (Not) Draw Attention

When Harry next awoke, he realized that for the first time in a long time, his whole body wasn’t hurting. Of course he was still exhausted from the large amount of magic he had used yesterday, but there was no stabbing pain as there normally would be.

Harry pushed himself into a sitting position, quickly surveying the room. It looked much the same as it had the previous night, only, as expected by now, his mother’s chest now sat at the foot of his bed. 

Harry tumbled out of the bed, careful not to stub his toe on the foot of the bed. Still not fully awake, Harry opens the curtain-like door to his room and is suddenly hit with a barrage of sounds. From the clanging of pans, Remus was already up and making breakfast for the two of them in the small kitchen. Having another person cook for him was odd for Harry, though he did have to reason to himself that it was more efficient for Remus to do it. He could reach the counters, after all.

Harry opens the flaps that lead into the kitchen, seeing Remus mixing a bowl full of eggs (if the eggshells around him were any indication). Harry walks over and taps his elbow lightly to get his attention. The older man glances down at him and ruffles his hair, using his magic to keep the spoon stirring. 

“Good morning, Harry. How’d you sleep?” Remus asked.

Harry had actually been sleeping really well recently, which was weird for him. Usually he would get woken up at random intervals of the night from nightmares. He would never scream, luckily, but he would always be irrationally afraid that something was lurking in the small corners of his cupboard. Well that or that Uncle Vernon had somehow sensed his fear and was coming to torment him further.

“Alright, I guess.” Harry replied, making sure to look Remus in the eye when he said this. He didn’t want him to think that he hadn’t actually slept well.

Remus smiled at him, “Great! Since you’re all rested up I think we’ll head out to Gringotts right after breakfast,” He paused, hesitating, “If that’s okay with you, that is.”

“Uh, that’s fine with me. But what is Gringotts anyway.” Harry asked.

“I can’t believe I forgot, for the second time! Well, it’s like a muggle bank, except it’s run by goblins. It’s really important that you be polite to them. They are a powerful ally but a wicked enemy.”

Harry gulped, that totally wasn’t a lot of pressure. So with a small “Of course,” from Harry, Remus continued with his cooking. 

Sensing that the conversation was over Harry walked over to the small table in the corner of the room that oddly enough only had one chair. Where was he supposed to sit? He couldn’t take Remus’s chair, especially when it was the only one.

As if he was reading his mind, Remus turned around to see the predicament at hand. Remus scanned the room for a second before setting one of the cook books from the counter onto the floor, and pulling his wand out from his pocket. He pointed his wand at the book and began to mutter under his breath. A small strand of blue magic shot out from the wand and wrapped around the book. The magic leaked into every crevice of the book, and before he knew it, a chair that was nearly identical to the one sitting in the corner took the place of the book.

Harry really needed to stop being surprised by magic. So far it had been near limitless, so why should it be restricted suddenly. It was just still so new to him that his mindset hadn’t yet taken on the fact that most simple problems could be solved with magic.

A small cough from Remus shocked him out of his thoughts, and simultaneously caused him to jump three feet in the air. Harry looked at him with a startled expression on his face. Remus laughed and smiled sheepishly, feeling bad for scaring him so badly.

“Sorry, you’d just been staring at the chair for a long time. Are you alright?” Remus asked.

“Yeah, I was just… startled.” Harry explained, answering two questions at once. He’d been startled at the display of magic too.

Remus nodded, finishing up his cooking while Harry moved to drag the chair over to the table. It was really light, too light to be natural. Remus must’ve cast some kind of spell on it when he transformed it into the chair in the first place.

Once Harry got the chair to the table, he quickly took a seat and waited patiently for Remus to finish up the eggs. A comfortable silence overtook the kitchn, only interrupted by the sizzling of the eggs in the pan. Remus seemed to be doing this all by hand rather than with magic, which Harry could understand. Cooking was a calming process, it took his focus off of everything else and when he was done he always felt really accomplished, even in the beginning when all he could muster was some goopy, burnt, remnants of the food he had been attempting to make.

A couple of minutes later the silence was broken by Remus asking him to bring out the silverware. While Harry set the table Remus took out the both of their plates and placed them on the table. For some reason, Harry’s portion was significantly smaller than Remus’s. Harry’s stomach sunk, of course he wouldn’t be getting fed as much as yesterday. He had eaten a lot yesterday, so it was a wonder he was even getting fed today. He should feel lucky, but for some reason he only felt sad.

A hand on his shoulder broke him out of his thoughts. Remus was looking down at him, concerned, but the moment their eyes met, Remus suddenly stared at him with a look of understanding.

“Harry… I hope you don’t think I’m trying to make you go hungry. I just… yesterday you couldn’t finish all of your food. I wanted to try giving you a smaller portion so that I didn’t overwhelm you. I wouldn’t have done that if I had known it’d make you feel this way. You can always take more food if you’re still hungry. I don’t ever want you hungry so long as you stay with me.” 

Harry felt tears well up in his eyes. He shouldn’t have thought so low of Remus. He hadn’t been mean to him for the whole time he knew him. It must’ve been so insulting to have Harry insinuate that.

“I’m sorry.” Harry said over the lump in his throat, his voice coming out watery and strained.

Remus rubbed his shoulder soothingly, “Hey, you don’t have anything to apologize for. If anything, I should apologize for making you feel that way.”

Harry instinctually moved to assure him that there was nothing he needed to apologize for, but Remus cut him off. 

“So why don’t you try that portion size for now, I don’t want you to get sick. But if you still feel hungry after, I’ll go and get you some more.” Remus smiled reassuringly, moving to sit back down. Harry quickly moving to do the same.

The two ate their breakfast mainly in silence, only broken by the scraping of silverware on the plates. By the time the two finished Harry had only just been able to handle the smaller portion size without being too uncomfortable. He still wasn’t able to eat that much, but not being pressured to eat a large plate of food did ease some of the discomfort in his stomach.

Harry and Remus cleared the table quickly and then hurried into their rooms to get ready for the day. It was nearing noon when the two were finally ready to leave the house. Harry was still wearing Dudley’s old clothes, which Remus had merely tutted at and promised to replace for him as soon as he withdrew some money.

Before they left Harry applied the same disguise as usual, though he did have odd golden eyes this time around. He really needed to learn how to control what color his eyes would be.

The two decided to floo to the same pub as the last time rather than apparating into the bank. The last thing they needed was to draw attention to themselves.

Harry and Remus made their way into Remus’s destroyed cottage in order to reach the floo, navigating around giant spikes of rock and debris from where the ceiling was broken. Harry felt an inexplicable tug towards the rock spikes, but anytime Harry moved to touch one Remus would tug his hand away. This continued until Remus just decided to hold his hand until they reached the floo.

Once they got there Remus gathered up some powder from the floor where the bowl had fallen the previous night and tucked them tightly into Harry’s hand.

“Just yell ‘Diagon Alley’ and do the same thing as yesterday. But make sure to enunciate properly, you don’t want to end up in the wrong place.” Remus warned.

Harry gulped and moved into the miraculously undamaged fireplace, and threw down the floo powder with a shout of “Diagon Alley!”

When he finally tumbled out the other side, he luckily didn’t fall, though he was a little unsteady on his feet. He was also covered in the ashes of the fireplaces. Harry moved his magic so that it took the ashes away from his body, flinging them back into the fireplace.

Harry didn’t see people gawking at him for the use of wandless magic as Remus appeared behind him in a flash of flames. Harry pouted dramatically when he saw that he wasn’t covered in the same ashes he had on him when he first came out. Remus had a look of amusement on his face when he stepped out of the fireplace, which quickly vanished when he saw the looks on the faces of those around him.

Seeing the look on Remus’s face, Harry himself quickly looked around at the small crowd that had formed around them. They all looked shock, with a few people muttering to each other in disbelief. Had he done something unusual?

Harry turned back to face Remus only to feel a person place a hand on his shoulder. While Remus quickly brushed it off of him, it still made Harry uneasy. He didn’t like being touched by adults he didn’t trust, or rather, he didn’t like being touched by any adult other than Remus.

More people started swarming around them, questioning Remus and staring at him. Some were even trying to grab Harry and pull him away. It was too much.

Remus pulled him into a protective embrace and attempted to push his way through the crowd, but any time he got around some people, there were more blocking them.

“Excuse me! You need to let us through. This is very inappropriate and isn’t getting any of you answers!” Remus exclaimed, having understood from the questions that Harry had done magic in front of these people.

While this caused a few people to back off, the majority of them continued with their questions, if anything they were more frantic for answers now that Remus had spoken.

“Pardon me. Did your son just do wandless magic? At the age of, what, seven?” A woman in the crowd shouted. She seemed to have used a voice magnifier charm in order to be heard.

Remus looked ready to rip his own hair out as he looked at the crowd around them. He glanced at Harry for the okay before answering, “It was probably just accidental magic. Now excuse me we have to ge-”

“But he didn’t look distressed or nervous at all! You can’t just randomly have bouts of accidental magic.” Another person yelled.

Remus growled darkly, pushing Harry behind him, “Look, he’s just a prodigy, alright? Now if you’ll excuse us.” The man then used some kind of supernatural force to push through the crowd, grabbing Harry’s hand tightly. 

The two finally managed to leave the pub, and practically sprinted down the alley in order to get away from those people. Harry was only able to keep up from all those years of Harry-hunting. 

Remus kept sending distressed behind him as they neared Gringotts, but it didn’t seem as though anyone had decided to sprint after tham. If they were lucky this event wouldn’t end up in the Prophet, but Remus knew by now not to bank on those odds. 

Remus sent one more look behind them as they entered the doors of the bank, that seemed ginormous to Harry, though that might just be because of how small he was. As they walked down the path, Harry looked from side to side and saw the interested looks the goblins were sending the pair of them. 

Unsure of why they were getting weird looks, Harry glanced behind him, only to see a small beam of magic that stretched across the doorway. The beam was flashing from yellow to green every few seconds, and them to yellow purple the next. They must’ve tripped some kind of alarm on their way in. That was probably bad.

Harry kept his gaze directed to the floor as Remus lead him to the very front desk that had a very stern looking goblin sitting at it. Behind his desk Harry could see a small piece of gold flashing yellow and purple, but Remus didn’t seem to be giving it any weird looks. 

Reminding himself to be polite, Harry looked the goblin in the eye as he and Remus stopped.

“Good morning, Head Goblin. I hope you’ve had a profitable week.” Remus said politely.

The Head Goblin smiled, pulling his frown lines up in a way that contorted his face oddly.

“Ah, Remus. Always a pleasure to see you. And you’ve brought a guest. I’m sure you would prefer I don’t… disclose his identity out here.” The Head Goblin said, almost pleasantly.

“I would prefer that you don’t, if that isn’t an issue.” Remus smiled.

“Of course, I’ll lead you to a back room. Bogrod! Take over for me!” The goblin yelled.

As Bogrod ran over to take over the desk, the three of them moved behind the desk and through a door that led to the rooms for more private matters, like important finances, or for them, discussing finances and Harry Potter.

It was only a short walk to the Head Goblin’s office, which was a fairly large room that held a desk and a few seats around it. The Head Goblin moved behind the desk, seeming to climb up something before sitting in his chair. Mirroring this, Remus and Harry took two of the seats across from him.

“So, how can I help you two?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next few chapters we really start to get into the plot, so I can’t wait for you guys to read them :))


	9. How to Become an Heir

The Head Goblin surveyed the two wizards as they glanced between each other. The wolf and the elf seemed to speak in a language of their own, an odd concept for as far as he knew, they hadn’t known each other very long. If the intel Dumbledore gave his employee was true the Potter heir had been living with relatives, and it was unlikely that Dumbledore would have been talking about Remus. Especially since he was a werewolf. 

The two seemed to have finished their silent conversation as Remus suddenly piped up. “I was wondering what properties the two of us have access to. There’s been an…” Remus glanced towards the young heir, “accident at my current house.”

The Head Goblin ran his hand through his hair as he considered his options. “Well, with Mr. Potter here you have a bit wider of a range. There are a few houses that are available to him before he turns seventeen. The only issue is that there have been quite a few legal forms that haven’t yet been filled out by his magical guardian. One of those is the heir binding contract,” The head goblin slid a few papers across his desk, “which should have been filled out as soon as Mr. Potter began to display accidental magic. This form needs to be filled out by his magical guardian before he can have access to any Potter locations. He can, however, still access his trust fund.”

Remus frowned, Dumbledore hadn’t been filling out Harry’s document’s?

“I apologize, but we aren’t in contact with his magical guardian at the moment. Is there any other way this form could be filled out?” Remus questioned politely.

“I’m afraid that this form has to be filled out by the magical guardian. Both he and Harry need to fill out the papers with binding magic. There is a form for the possibility that magical guardian has died, but that doesn’t apply to you,” the Head Goblin paused, “However, in the event that the magical guardian has been neglectful towards the child, we could do an emergency change in magical guardian. It would be highly costly, however. We are going against Dumbledore here.”

Remus nodded contemplatively as Harry looked on in confusion. “Who’s Dumbledore?” Harry questioned.

Remus sighed and looked towards Harry. “He’s the headmaster at Hogwarts, the wizarding school your parents and I went to. He’s also been your magical guardian from the moment you were left with your aunt. You’ve never met an old man with a really long beard before, have you?” At Harry’s shake of the head, he continued, “He’s a good man. He has the best intentions but… the way he gets to his goal is a little unusual. He tends to not think of the individual and thinks more about society as a whole. That may be why he hasn’t been there throughout your life.”

Harry nodded, considering. He felt a burning anger at Dumbledore for being the one to leave him with his aunt and uncle, never to check on him again to make sure he was still even alive. He hated that a person he never met held so much sway over his life. He hated that this man hadn’t given him to Remus, or that Sirius that his parents had mentioned. 

But if life had taught him anything was that all people deserve second chances. All he had ever wanted was for his aunt and uncle to give him that chance. For the kids at school to look past their first impression of him. It was unfair of him to hate someone he hadn’t even met. So shoving his emotions deep down as he sometimes did, Harry ignored that burning hatred. 

Harry smelt a little bit of smoke as the conversation around him paused. Looking down at his feet showed that he had made the rug smoke. Harry quickly lifted his feet from the rug as Remus whispered a faint ”reparo” at the rug, fixing it instantly.

Harry hadn’t even noticed that Remus and the Head Goblin had continued their conversation while he had been distracted. The two of them had moved on to talk about Remus’s finances, most likely for the payment for the change of magical guardian.

If the rundown state of Remus’s old house told him anything, Remus didn’t have a lot of money to go around. The thought that he would be willing to pay for this for Harry almost made a grin break across his face, but he couldn’t let Remus pay for that when he supposedly had a lot of money.

“Excuse me,” Harry said, efficiently interrupting the conversation, “how would I be able to access my trust fund?”

Remus and the Head Goblin looked at each other, confused. “And why would you need to do that?” The goblin asked.

“Well, we need to pay for the switch in the guardianship thing, right?” As Remus went to argue, Harry cut him off once more, “And it would be educational for me to know how to access my money if I need it.”

The Head Goblin let out a chuckle, patting Remus on the arm as he stepped out of his chair. “You’ve certainly raised quite the businessman.” The Head Goblin laughed.

“But I--” The Head Goblin cut Remus off.

“Now, let’s show the young Potter heir where his trust vault is.” The goblin said.

Harry beamed, and grabbed Remus’s hand so they could follow the goblin. Remus looked completely baffled at the situation. It had been quite a confusing conversation after all.

As the two stepped out of the office they were led down the long row of offices to a small cavern with track running through it. On the track sat a cart, large enough to fit the three of them, but may be a bit of an awkward fit. After the Head Goblin stepped in, Remus helped Harry into the cart before stepping in himself. 

The cart ride was fairly short, though quite eventful. It mainly consisted of Harry’s shrieks and Remus’s laughter as they went down hills and through bumpy paths. When they finally stepped out, Remus was red with laughter and Harry was barely standing on shaky feet.

As Harry looked around he saw that he was standing in front of a large vault that reached from the ceiling to the floor of the room. The Head Goblin was already drawing out a key to unlock the vault.

“Isn’t the magical guardian supposed to have the only key to the vault?” Remus asked.

The goblin simply raised an eyebrow in response and Remus smiled sheepishly. There was no way that the goblins wouldn’t have access to all of their vaults.

The Head Goblin continued to unlock the vault with the golden key. Only a few moments later the door to the vault swung open and Harry was met with the largest amount of gold he had even seen. Though, to be fair, the only gold he had ever seen was one of his aunt’s necklaces, but still! The gold nearly filled the room, and where there wasn’t gold there was pieces of other types of metal. And it all belonged to him! If the Dursleys could see him now.

Remus grasped Harry’s hand as the two walked into the vault, looking around.

“The cost of the change in guardianship is ten galleons… and twelve sickles to make sure any onlookers don’t find anything about it.” The Head Goblin said.

Harry nodded, and as Remus whispered to which coins were which, he grabbed how much he needed. Carrying the many coins was hard with how small his hands were. Remus rushed to carry some for him as it started slipping out of his hands.

The goblin handed them the bag that had previously been attached to his belt. “Here, you can use it until we get back to my office. We have bags like this for ten knuts upstairs as well.”

Remus nodded his thanks at the goblin as he grabbed the additional ten knuts from the ground. He and Harry poured the coins into the bag, but Harry realized the coins didn’t make a clunking noise when it hit the bottom of the bag, and the bag didn’t feel any heavier. Harry stuck his arm into the bag to make sure there wasn’t a hole at the bottom. It wasn’t until his entire forearm was in the bag that he realized that the bag didn’t have a bottom. 

There must have been a shocked look on his face as Remus let out a small chuckle. It was truly adorable to him how shocked Harry still got by magic. It almost reminded him of Lily when she did a new spell. The smile on his face turned a little sad, Harry really did remind him a lot of Lily. He might look a lot like James but that curiosity was all his mother. Though he was sure that in a few years Harry would be a little troublemaker. He couldn’t wait.

Harry tugged on his hand a bit to get his attention. Hopefully he hadn’t zoned out for too long. 

The two made their way back to the cart and the Head Goblin waiting in it. When they stepped out from the vault it closed behind them, leaving them free to go on the short ride to the Head Goblin’s office.

Now that Harry knew what to expect of the ride he felt much more secure, though the ride still left him a little unsteady when they got out.

As soon as they got back to the office the Head Goblin immediately began digging through the draws of his desk. As Harry and Remus finished sitting down, the goblin pulled out a few papers from the draw. He then proceeded to go to the back of the office, grabbing what looked to be a quill from the draw.

As he grabbed what he needed from his office the Head Goblin began to explain the procedure, “Now that Harry is older, it won’t be the same as passing up guardianship to the first available option. We need to agree on a possible contract, and from there you’ll be bound to the parameters of it through a binding magic,” He put the papers as well as two quills in front of them, “Does that sound agreeable?”

 

The two nodded as Remus began to read over the contract. It seemed fairly straightforward. Remus would have to deal with all aspects of Harry’s magical life including school and inheritance matters, and Harry would be reliant on him until he was a legal adult to the community. Remus pushed the papers in front of Harry to make sure he was okay with it before signing.

To Harry, this whole setup sounded like a dream come true. He had someone willing to pledge to take care of him until he’s old, and Remus could hardly get rid of him if he signs this. Harry looked to Remus for permission before nodding enthusiastically at the Head Goblin.

“If both of you are in agreement simply sign at the bottom with the quills provided to you. They are binding quills so you may feel a tug on your magic.” The Head Goblin explained.

Since the paper was in front of him, Harry went to sign first. When he began to write his name he saw a bit of his magic being tugged into the pen. When he was done he saw his name glowing a faint purple.

Harry then passed the paper to Remus who proceeded to sign it without hesitation. As soon as he lifted his quill from the parchment the goblin snapped his fingers, making the paper disappear to who knows where.

When Harry looked over at Remus he saw a giant smile on his face that caused his eyes to cinkle in a way that showed his, albeit faint, smile lines. It was an amazing feeling to Harry to make someone smile like that.

“Congratulations at the successful change in guardianship. I hate to ruin the fun, but we do have some paperwork to fill out. So Mr. Lupin if you wouldn’t mind…” The Head Goblin gestured at the remaining paperwork on the table, including the heir binding contract from before.

Remus blushed in embarrassment, quickly returning back to the papers.

A few signings later Harry was officially the Potter heir, which means that he was the one estate owner in the Potter family. The Head Goblin had wanted to do an inheritance test to see if he qualified for any other heirships but Remus had been too anxious to let him. He knew for a fact that Sirius had named Harry his heir as soon as it was apparent he was never going to have kids of his own. He wasn’t ready to talk about Sirius to Harry quite yet.

When the two were finally done with paperwork they bought one of the bottomless bags with their remaining money. This specific bag was hooked up to the Potter trust vault so that whenever either Harry or Remus thought of a certain amount, it would appear in their hands. Remus later told Harry that this was a privilege only wealthy wizards have access to, as they tend to be favored by the bank.

With their business at Gringotts completed the two said their goodbyes to the Head Goblin and headed out of the bank.

The second Harry’s foot hit the bottom step on the way out he released a sigh of relief. Everything had gone more than okay. Heck, it had gone better than he had imagined the best outcome could be this morning. 

Looking over at Remus rewarded him with a small smile and a pat on the head as they walked. 

“So Harry,” Remus said, “I thought that as celebration we could get you some new clothes. The ones you have a frankly appalling. I mean, I would’ve transfigured them for you but I’ve never been very good with clothes,” After a moment of consideration Remus continued, “Maybe we could get some ice cream afterwards. Have you ever had it before?”

Harry stared wide eyed at him as he slowly shook his head no. Aunt Petunia had always said ice cream was for good boys, and that he couldn’t have any because he wasn’t as good as Dudley.

“Well then we’ll have to go to the best ice cream parlor around, Florean Fortescue’s. It’s been awhile since I’ve been there so it’ll be a treat for the both of us.” Remus said.

Smiling warmly at Harry, Remus began to guide him down the alley, determined to have a first good day as child and guardian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! I really appreciate everyone who left kudos and comments last chapter. I'm amazed with how positive the feedback has been so far! I hope you continue to like it!


	10. How to Shop (For Dummies)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Cursing

Harry and Remus swerved through the crowd of people as they attempted to make their way to Madam Malkin’s, the tight grasp Remus had on Harry’s hand being the only thing keeping them together. 

With some odd kind of luck, neither Harry nor Remus were recognized as being the same people as in the pub. They did, however, hear various conversations about it. It looked like Remus wasn’t going to get his wish that this wouldn’t go in the papers.

Making sure to be conscientious of Harry’s presence behind him, Remus quickly pushed his way through the oddly large crowd near the part of the road by Madam Malkin’s.

The group of people were most likely getting early outfits made for Samhain, or even Yule. It was always an awkward time of the year to go shopping.

Remus continued to elbow his way to the entrance until they finally made it inside the building, thankfully not as crowded as the outside was. He supposed that a lot of the people had been window shopping. 

Remus flicked his eyes down to Harry as he walked towards the fitting stand to wait for Madam Malkin. He seemed really overwhelmed, most likely not used to the large crowds.

Remus crouched down next to Harry, “Are you alright?” Remus whispered. At this, Harry looked up, surprised, before nodding his head. With all the people out there he had been lost in a sea of color. Being in a room with less people made it a little better, but his eyes were still being strained by the amount of magical energy coating the building. 

Remus smiled as he rose back to full height, waiting patiently for Madam Malkin to finish up with her other clients. 

Harry rocked on the heels of his feet as he waited, bored out of his mind. He wasn’t normally so impatient, but with all the action that had been going on the past few days it felt foreign to stand still. 

After a few more minutes of fidgeting, Madam Malkin finally finished with the customer she had been attending to. The older woman looked around her shop before her eyes landed on Remus and she smiled, making her way towards the two of them.

“Remus! It’s great to see you. It’s been, what, five years? Don’t tell me you’ve been owl ordering your clothes.” Madam Malkin scolded, causing Remus to laugh contritely. 

“I’m sorry, Madam, but my clothes are still in good shape. Plus, I’ve been a little busy lately.” Remus looked at Harry out of the corner of his eye at the last bit. Madam Malkin finally looked at Harry and gasped slightly, “You never told me you settled down! Who is this?”

Remus patted Harry on the shoulder, “Er, this is my son, um, Henry. Henry Lupin. After my grandfather.”

Madam Malkin smiled down at Harry, “Hello, hun. It’s so nice to meet you. I’m a friend of your father’s. I can’t believe he never said anything to me about you in the past… Sorry, dear. How old are you.”

Harry looked at the ground, feeling unusually shy, “I’m eight and a half.”

“Wow! That’s awfully big!” Madam Malkin glares at Remus lightly, “You’ll be going to Hogwarts in no time. Make sure your dad takes you here when you need robes. None of that owl ordering, I wanna see you in person.”

Harry looked at her, confused. Hadn’t Remus said Hogwarts started at eleven? It wasn’t as if he was ten or something. He wouldn’t be going to Hogwarts for awhile.

The elderly woman laughed at the look on his face before continuing as if nothing had happened, “Now what are you two here for? Some robes? I’m sure we have your size.”

“Well, we need a bit of a whole wardrobe. Ha-Henry just had a bit of a growth spurt. None of his clothes fit him anymore.” Remus explained, “You don’t happen to do muggle clothes as well, do you?”

Madam Malkin looked doubtful at that, “I can see what we have to work with, but we really only do robes. You could always take the floo into muggle London if you needed to.”

Remus nodded his thanks as Madam Malkin began to nudge Harry onto the measuring platform. 

The stout woman flicked her wand as Harry reached the center of the platform, “Now, you said a whole wardrobe, right? Do you want dress robes included?”

Remus looked at Harry who simply shrugged his shoulders, not really understanding what dress robes were. 

“We might as well get some while we’re here. I don’t want to rush if we get invited to a ball of some kind for Samhain.” Remus said.

Harry perked up at that. Sometimes when the Dursleys were watching movies they would talk about big parties with dancing, and food, and people. It was the kind of thing that Harry had never envisioned he would be able to go to. Though the amount of people would probably be very draining, it would be worth it.

Madam Malkin seemed to agree with him, continuing to use her wand to measure Harry. The tape measure flew around him at a speed that made Harry a little dizzy. Eventually, the tape measure stopped flying, and each part of his body had been measured and recorded.

The tape measure flew to Madam Malkin and she snapped it shut, looking over the notes her quill had made, “Well, the creation of a full wardrobe might take a few hours. With how packed it is outside, I’d say to come back at around four and it should be done.”

Remus thanked her quickly and grabbed Harry’s hand, intent on getting him out in case the shop got crowded. After only a few steps Madam Malkin pulled him back, “You better come back here more frequently. I made sure his clothes will change with him as he grows, but when they get worn out I want the two of you back here. Okay?”

“Of course. I’ll see you in a few hours.” Remus replied as Harry tugged on his hands, anxious to go get the ice cream that Remus had promised.

Remus then allowed Harry to drag him out of the shop and into the crowded streets. After a few moments of walking, Harry realised he had no idea where he was going. With a blush of embarrassment on his face, Harry slowed down and allowed Remus to lead the way. 

After a good ten minutes or so of walking, the two finally made it to Florean Fortescue’s. During the summer, the line would be nearly unending, but thankfully, the chilly weather had warded away most other customers. 

The two made their way into the shop. As soon as the door closed Harry stared around in amazement. While the inside was rather small, there were tubs of ice cream covering the shop in an array of colors. With how much ice cream was on display, Harry figured that any kind of ice cream he would ever want to try would be present here.

Remus smiled softly at the look of sheer giddiness on Harry’s face. It was nice to see him acting like a kid. He had had to grow up far too fast. 

Harry quickly looked up at Remus for approval before approaching the counter quickly. The man behind it looked surprised to see customers at this time of year, but in a blink morphed his face into a small smile.

The man leaned over the counter slightly as he addressed them, “Hello there. What can I get for the two of you?”

The expression of happiness on Harry’s face quickly fell into panic as he realised he didn’t know what he wanted. So with a pleading expression on his face, he begged with his eyes for Remus to pick for him. At least until he knew what he liked.

Remus picked up on his situation quickly, and took control of the order, “Can we get two vanilla and chocolate ice creams?” 

The man nodded his head, ducking under the counter to grab the cones, “That will be twelve knuts please.”

Remus dug into the pockets of his pants before Harry could bring out his bag, placing the appropriate amount of money on the counter. Only a couple of moments later, the man showed back up with two cones of ice cream, handing one to each of them carefully before taking the money. With a quick, “Have a nice day,” the man disappeared into the back of the shop.

By the time the two sat at their table, Harry was already almost done with the chocolate part of his ice cream. It was so amazing that Harry decided that ice cream was his new favorite food. Though pancakes were a close second.

With Harry quickly devouring his ice cream, Remus had to eat quickly in order to catch up. The last thing he wanted was Harry to be jittering in his seat while he finished his ice cream. 

Harry frowned when he reached the cone part of his ice cream. He wasn’t quite sure whether he was supposed to eat it or not, so he waited until Remus himself reached the cone and began to eat it. 

Harry finished the cone nearly as quickly as he did the ice cream. He hadn’t had many sweets before, but he was entirely sure he liked them now. And even though he was full, he still wished he had more ice cream to eat.

Harry twitched in his seat as he waited for Remus to finish his cone. He felt oddly full of energy. And not the kind of energy you get after a full nights sleep. He felt jittery.

When Remus finally finished, Harry nearly shot out of his chair in his rush to do anything other than sit.

“Hold on a second, Harry. We shouldn’t just go wandering around the alley. We still have three hours before we need to pick up your robes. We need something to do in the meantime.” The two shared a look before realization suddenly grew on Remus’s face, “Oh, right! We should probably pick out which of the properties we’ll be staying in. When we come back to the alley we can pick out anything we need.”

Harry nodded his head, “But how do we know which houses we have access to?”

“The Head Goblin told me when we were in Gringotts before. I think you were distracted.” Remus explained.

Harry blushed, remembering how he had almost set the carpet on fire back at the bank. Of course they would discuss something so important while he was brooding.

“He told me we have access to a couple of properties. I think we should settle at Potter Manor. There are two others, but one house is in France and the other is a summer house.” Remus continued.

Harry really had no idea what the Potter Manor was, but he was sure that Remus knew what he was talking about. He would like to be able to learn about it one day, though. It sounded like it was something important.

“So how are we going to get there?” Harry asked as they stepped out of the shop.

Remus simply held out his arm to Harry as an answer. With a small, “Oh,” Harry quietly grabs a hold of Remus’s arm, and with a loud pop the two were now in a completely new place.

Luckily, this time Harry wasn’t nearly as queasy and managed to stay upright as they reached their destination. Harry beamed at Remus with a certain kind of pride attached to it. And when Remus ruffled his hair in lieu of a good job, his grin grew just a little wider.

Suddenly, the two were distracted by a small pop in front of them. When they looked down, alarmed, they were surprised by the sight of a house elf standing a few feet away from them. Harry had never seen a house elf before, but Remus had once told him about them in passing. This particular house elf was staring directly at him, teary eyed. 

“Little Master! You came back!” The house elf cried.

Remus looked between the two of them, shocked, “Pana? You’ve been living here all these years? I thought you would have gotten another job by now!”

The house elf, Pana, shook her head rapidly, “All other elves leave, but not Pana! Pana stay to clean for Little Master. Pana knew Little Master would come back.”

Harry, at this point, honestly had no clue what was going on, “I’m sorry, Pana, right? How do you know what I look like? I’m disguising myself right now.”

Pana looked up at him, shocked, “Little Master don’t know? Pana and other elves see through magic.”

Harry looked at her, amazed, “Is that something all house elves can do?”

Pana was nearly bouncing with excitement as she answered, “Yes! Little Master too! Little Master has strong elf blood,” Pana nodded proudly, “Mistress Lily did too. Very strong elf.”

Remus looked completely unsurprised at this, but he was scanning Harry’s face for a reaction. Harry guessed that it made sense that Remus knew. After all, he had been close with his mother.

Eventually, Remus looked away from him, understanding that Harry had already known, and focused his attention back on Pana.

“Pana, is the house alright to move into?” Remus questioned.

Immediately, Pana’s face broke out into a gigantic smile as she jumped up and down, “Yes! Pana make sure house is clean. Come, come! See rooms!” 

With that, the house elf sped towards the admittedly large house, much larger than either had been used to.

The two nearly had to run to keep up with her in her excitement. By the time they reached the front steps the two were out of breath and red faced.

“Wow, that’s a big house,” Harry whispered, flabbergasted. 

Remus laughed a little at that, moving through the doors held open by house elf magic, taking Harry’s hand in his.

The house was immaculate. The hallway was entirely dust free, from the mirror to the coat rack. From there, the sitting room looked completely unlived in for the exception of the fire crackling in the fireplace, something that went for most of the rooms. There was nothing on the table, and the blankets on top of the couch looked like they had been frequently pressed and folded. 

Next door, the dining room was set up for a crazy amount of people, especially since it was only the two of them for the moment. The kitchen was largely similar to the other rooms, cleaned so frequently that it seemed to sparkle. The breakfast bar also had a bowl of fresh fruit. 

When the three of them went upstairs, they made the decision to only look at the bedrooms in the family wing for the moment. There were so many guest bedrooms and activity rooms that they truly didn’t have time for it in the two short hours they had before they needed to be back in the alley.

This idea quickly went wrong when Harry saw a painted door on the left side of the hall. It had a baby’s blanket attached to the wall that read Harry in cursive letters. Overwhelmed with curiosity Harry pushed the door open and was met with what must have been intended to be his nursery.

Harry heard a sharp intake of breath behind him. He turned to see Remus with his hand covering his mouth, looking a little misty eyed. 

“This would have been your room. If-If your parents hadn’t had to move. They had been so upset that the room they had set up for you wasn’t the one you would grow up in. Your father had protested for months about the move. All the Potter kids grew up here.” Remus said, wiping his eyes.

Harry simply stood there, shocked. This could have been his room, not the small, dark cupboard he had been forced into growing up. If his parents had lived, he could’ve been truly happy here.

“I- Let’s go to a different room.” Harry said, voice straining.

Remus nodded, guiding him to the room across the hall, “This was my room whenever I stayed here. Your father insisted I stayed in the family wing.”

Remus swung the door open. The room was fairly big, consisting of a queen size canopy bed whose curtains match the light blue of the walls, a writing desk, what looked like a walk in closet, a bathroom, and some other door across the room.

When Harry made to move towards it, Remus grabbed his arm, dragging him back. 

Harry looked at him, shocked. Remus seemed surprised at himself too, but explained nevertheless, “This room connects with a few other rooms. The next over is, uh, Sirius’s. I don’t think we should go in there, but we could go look at your father’s. He was the next door over.” Remus said, trying to distract him from the topic of Sirius, and for now, Harry let him.

The two left the room and went into the room two doors down, what had apparently been his father’s.

“Eventually, when your mother moved in, they took the master bedroom. But before that, this,” Remus swung the door open, “was your father’s room.”

The room was the largest of what they had seen so far, the walls painted a tasteful cream color. The layout was similar to that of Remus’s room, only his father had had a king sized bed with golden colored curtains. There were also some posters of muggle bands on the walls, which greatly confused Harry.

Remus ran his hands over one of the posters, “I remember this one,” He said, fondness coating his voice, “It was our first time at a muggle concert and we had the time of our life. We even got to meet the band at the end. James and Si-” Remus trailed off, realising what he was talking about.

An awkward silence overcame the room as the two stared at each other. A few seconds later, Remus glanced away and broke the silence, “So, Harry, how would you feel about turning this into your room. The room that used to be yours is probably too small for you at this point. And we’d have to buy all new furniture.”

Harry shrugged, understanding where Remus was coming from, but overall feeling a little weird about using his father’s old room. He’d probably be fine if they just changed it up a little bit.

“Alright, it’s decided then. When we go back to Diagon Alley we’ll buy a book on transfiguration for decorating. I’m not very talented when it comes to interior decor.” Remus said with a chuckle.

Harry smiled at him, saying a small, “Alright,” before continuing to look around the room.

Not even a few seconds later, a small pop sounded off behind him. When he turned around he saw that Pana had popped back into the room. That would take a lot of getting used to.

“Sir, Little Master. Pana made lunch. Then Sir and Little Master need to go back to store.” Pana said.

Harry smiled at her politely, “Thank you, Pana. We’ll come down in a minute.”

Pana squealed and popped out of the room once again, leaving Harry and Remus in silence.

“Let’s head down for dinner. Pana will make you eat extra if you’re late.” Remus laughed.

Harry smiled and grabbed his hand as they headed out the room. After a couple of minutes of walking, the two made their way to the dining room.

Pana had made just enough food for the both of them, which surprised Harry. He wasn’t quite sure how she knew he ate in smaller portions than most, but he was thankful anyways.

Remus and Harry sat down at the table as they eat their food, which happened to be soup and toast, and thanked Pana as she popped in. For some reason, the food always seemed to taste better to Harry when he hadn’t made it, though he hadn’t eaten a lot of his own cooking.

The two of them quickly ate their lunch, and before they knew it it was almost four o’clock, and they had to head out. With a promise to Pana to be back before dinner, they apparated to the area behind Madam Malkin’s, a place where no one was likely to be.

Luckily, the two of them didn’t crush anyone when they appeared at their destination, and were able to quickly make their way into the shop. 

As soon as the bell on the door rung, Madam Malkin looked towards them and beckoned them towards her. 

“Welcome back, boys. I’m finishing up with a customer, but I’ll be with you in a second.” She said, clearly distracted as she measured the young girl in front of her.

Remus and Harry stood towards the edge of the room as they waited for Madam Malkin to finish up. Harry was once again fidgeting, playing with the edge of his ratty clothes. 

“Hello,” The girl yelled out to Harry from across the room. After getting a nod from Remus, he moved back towards the measuring stand. 

“Hey,” Harry said, shyly. The girl looked him up and down, dark hair swishing over her face. 

“Who are you? I thought Momma said I knew all the kids my age.” The dark haired girl asked. 

“My name’s Ha-Henry. What’s your name?” Harry returned. 

“I’m Pansy. It’s nice to meet you,” Pansy said, almost seeming to follow a script. She looked past his shoulder before continuing, “We should hang out some other time. I think I’m almost done. Do you wanna talk over the floo?” 

Harry was a little confused, but from what he could tell, the floo might work like a telephone. “Oh, sure.” He said. The girl smiled at him as her tape measures stopped measuring her, “Great! My floo address is Parkinson Manor. We’ll talk soon?” 

Harry nodded, and Pansy was ushered off the measuring platform by Madam Malkin. “Ok, great!” She finished, smiling at him as an older woman took her hand and began to walk her out, “Bye Henry!”

Hardy waved goodbye as Remus walked over to him. Madam Malkin had immediately walked into the back room when Pansy had left. As they waited for her, Remus nudged him teasingly, “Good to see you making some friends, Harry. Just make sure to ask her parents before you marry her.” Harry made a grossed out face at this. He didn’t want to marry Pansy, she was his friend! Despite Harry’s misery, Remus began to laugh at him, about to make a comment, but Madam Malkin made her way back in. She was carrying a bag full of clothes, and when she reached them she dumped them into Remus’s arms, “I’m sorry I can’t stop and speak, we’re really busy right now with orders. But come back soon, okay?”

Madam Malkin doesn’t wait for an answer as she rushed over to measure her next customer. 

Harry and Remus make their way back into the alley, heading towards Flourish and Blotts. The crowds on the streets had gotten even worse as the day went on, but luckily not many people would go to a bookstore on a crowded day. So thankfully, when they made it to the store it was almost completely empty.

When they walked in the store, Harry didn’t see Terence at the desk, something he was almost thankful for, though Remus seemed really disappointed. The two quickly navigated their way to the back of their store and found a book entitled _Into Home Decor: Transfiguration._ They made their way up to the desk and payed the disinterested clerk and made their way back into the crowded streets of Diagon Alley, and from there apparated home.

After the long day the two of them had, they practically collapsed on the couch in the sitting room, surrounded by bags.

The two had almost fallen asleep when Pana called them in for dinner. The two of them barely managed to get through it without having their heads fall on the table. It got to the point where halfway through the meal Pana brought out a cup of coffee for Remus, claiming that he had a long evening coming up in order to personalize the house.

Remus allowed his head to fall against the table as he groaned, making Harry laugh sleepily at him.

The two of them ended up asleep on the couch, despite all of Pana’s best efforts to get them up. Eventually, she gave in covering them with a blanket. She then snapped a picture, adding it to a photo album that hadn’t been touched in years.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Well, Black, If you don’t have any information about the whereabouts of Harry Potter than you’re not worth our time.” 

The gruff man laughed slightly hysterically, throwing his head back as the man got more and more annoyed. 

The auror let out a strangled groan as he left the cell, either not knowing of caring that a newspaper had fallen out of his bag. 

‘Mysterious ‘Prodigy’ Seen in Diagon Alley. A Werewolf’s Son?’

“Remus you sneaky little son of a bitch.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This was a bit of a monster chapter, but I got done what I wanted to accomplish, finally getting to introduce Sirius (which only took 70 pages).
> 
> Also, thank you all so much for the constant support, it really means so much!!
> 
> And don’t worry, Pansy and Harry aren’t actually going to marry, I just wanted to make it true to life in which your family teases you about not making someone their daughter-in-law or son-in-law too soon.


	11. How to Find Lost Things

Harry woke up to light streaming through the curtains of his room. Groggy, he lifted his arms above his as he stretched. He looked around in confusion as he tried to remember where he was. He knew for sure that he hadn’t fallen asleep in a bed last night, he was so tired that the trek throughout the large house would have stood out in his memory. And if he had dragged himself off to bed, he certainly wouldn’t have picked to sleep in his father’s old bedroom.

The room looked much the same as it did yesterday, only it had a sort of different vibe around it. It wasn’t something he could explain, but the room felt somewhat eerie after sleeping in it. Maybe he just felt weird sleeping where his father used to sleep. After all, he wasn’t even sure he was comfortable living where his father used to live.

And though the feeling remained, Harry figured he would get ready so he could get out of the room as soon as possible. He got out of the bed to head towards the bathroom when he remembered that he had bought new clothes yesterday. He wasn’t quite sure where he could find them, but he could always ask Pana if the bag wasn’t in the sitting room.

Harry walked towards the door to his room, hesitating as he held the handle of the door. Something in the back of his mind was telling him not to go out the door just yet, no matter how unsettled he was by the room. After a moment of consideration, his curiosity outweighed his common sense and he let go of the doorknob. 

A quick look around the room told him exactly what he had forgotten. Next to the desk a mahogany door sat innocently. If Remus had been telling the truth yesterday, then he knew exactly where it led. He knew Remus would most likely hate him if he went in there, but he really did want to learn more about this mystery friend of his father. He doubted that his Mom and Dad would even think of leaving him with someone that may betray them. It was probably all some mistake.

With an odd mix of curiosity and determination, Harry made his way over to the door, careful to open it as quietly as he could.

It was an understatement to say that he was surprised about the design of the room he was standing in. He had been expecting it to be a little on the disaster side from how long it’s been untouched, but is was surprisingly tasteful. The room was almost identical to that of his father’s, but Sirius had somehow managed to fit in a vanity where his father’s room held a desk. On it was some old magazines, but nothing too interesting. The only other major difference was the pictures pinned to the mirror on top of the vanity. 

There were various moving pictures of a group of four men, in which were his father and Remus. From what he could tell, the man with the darker hair had to be Sirius. He was the only person that appeared in all of the photos. The other man he had never seen before, blond and with a shy smile gracing his face. Remus was terrible at talking about the past, so it was reasonable that he hadn’t heard of him yet. 

Harry scanned the other pictures. In a couple of pictures was a woman he recognized to be his mother, a blinding smile always on her face as the pictures looped. He brushed her face with his fingers as watched the picture repeat. She looked really happy. All of them did. If only his parents had lived so everyone could keep being happy.

With a sad smile on his face, Harry withdrew his fingers as he wandered around the rest of the room. There wasn’t anything else that peaked his interest. Though he did wonder about the lack of dusk.

Curiosity unsatisfied, Harry left the room, closing the door with a small thud. He left the room with more questions than before. How could anyone believe that Sirius would do anything to hurt his parents if they were friends? He clearly adored his friend group if he had that many pictures with them.

He resolved to tell his discoveries to Remus as soon as he got the opportunity. Maybe over breakfast. 

Back in his room, Harry could hear a muffled conversation downstairs. Harry wasn’t used to people being up earlier than him yet. It wasn’t entirely unpleasant, but he had always valued the time to himself growing up. He liked the time to situate himself before he had to interact with people.

But hearing Remus and Pana talk downstairs was a whole different experience than hearing the Dursleys walk about the house. It almost made him feel safer that they were awake before him. And that they didn’t expect him to be up at early hours in the morning. Though they may change their mind at some point, but for now he was pretty sure he wasn’t expected to do any early morning chores.

The two downstairs stalled in their conversation, and Harry figured that was as good a time as any to ask about his clothes.

They must’ve heard his door open and close because as soon as he finished walking down the stairs Remus and Pana were staring at him, smiling and grinning respectively.

“Good morning, Harry.” Remus said, he was wearing a coat and holding some bags, overall looking like he had just gone out. 

“Good morning,” Harry returned, “I was wondering where we put my clothes yesterday. If that’s okay?” 

At this Remus laughed a little and held out one of the bags on his arms, “Well, your timing is just right. I figured that the robes wouldn’t be that comfortable for you to hang around the house in. I think you’ll like what I picked out for you, but just tell me if you don’t like something and I can return it.”

Harry grabbed the bag from his arm gingerly, looking through its contents for a second, “Thank you so much! I’m sure I’ll like whatever you gave me.” 

Remus patted him on the shoulder lightly, nudging him towards the stairs, “Go try them on! I want those rags off of you as soon as possible,” Remus looked him over once more, “Maybe we can burn them after.”

It was Harry’s turn to laugh as he practically ran up the stairs. 

“No running Little Master! Pana doesn’t want Little Master to be hurt.” Pana yelled after him, already somewhat exasperated.

Harry slowed down slightly at this, but from Pana’s sigh, not nearly enough. He felt a little bad, but he was really excited to get out of Dudley’s old clothes. They were starting to get really gross, and it was just a whole new experience to have clothes of his own. 

When he reached his room, he immediately was faced with the challenge of picking out his clothes. To start he just decided to dump the whole bag out on the bed. There was a large variety of items to choose from, but after a few minutes of digging he decided on a lilac polo that reminded him of his magic, and a pair of jeans. 

As soon as he finished getting dressed, Harry felt ten times better. The clothes fit him almost perfectly and didn’t bother him when he walked like Dudley’s old clothes. 

In pursuit of a mirror he entered the hallway. If he was remembering correctly, there had been a mirror in Remus’s room. 

Hoping Remus would be fine with it, he entered the room and sped towards the mirror. Though his hair was a complete mess, he looked a lot better than he had a few weeks ago. And he felt a lot better too. Much happier at the very least.

Harry exited the room silently, making sure to close the door behind him. From what he could hear of the conversation downstairs Pana had just finished up breakfast. Though he didn’t remember a whole lot of last night, he did remember that she was a fantastic cook, which was reaffirmed by the scent that hit his nose as he got downstairs. Passing by the sitting room he made his way into the dining room. The food wasn’t out yet but Remus was waiting at the table, reading a newspaper. It had a moving picture on the front, just like the ones in Sirius’s room.

Harry took a seat next to Remus and peered over his shoulder. He couldn’t make out all of it, but they seemed to be discussing what happened in the pub yesterday. Harry flushed red, embarrassed, “I’m so sorry, Remus. I should’ve been more careful.”

Remus looked away from the paper, quickly closing it when he connected what Harry said to it. 

“It’s not your fault Harry, I should’ve told you about how unique your magic is.” Remus looked away, frowning to himself. It was clear that he was uncomfortable with all the attention put on him by the paper.

Harry was quick to argue that it wasn’t Remus’s fault, but as soon as he opened his mouth Pana popped into the room, carrying a platter of eggs and bacon. As soon as she placed it down, she snapped her fingers and the plates and tableware appeared.

“Pana needs to clean for Sir and Little Master. Call if you need Pana.” The house elf said, clearly in a rush. After their nods of acknowledgement, she disappeared from the room.

The two began to pile food on their plates, “So, Harry, I was thinking that we could meet with a friend of mine today. She has a kid your age, maybe you can make some more friends?” Remus asked.

Harry was hesitant, but eventually nodded his head yes. Remus released an audible sigh of relief. He had already accepted the invitation and wasn’t quite sure what he would do if Harry said no.

“Great! We’re going to meet for lunch at her house. You’re all ready to go, right?” Harry nodded, and Remus continued, “Then you can just hang out after breakfast and I’ll call you when we need to leave.”

Harry picked at his food as he nodded yet again. He wasn’t really feeling that hungry today, and the little bit of food he had gotten in his stomach was making him nauseous. Deciding it was better to not overeat, he pushes the plate away from him, feeling a little more nauseous each time he looked at it.

Remus looked at Harry with concern, eyebrows drawn tightly. It was the least he had eaten in the days he had known the boy. Maybe he just wasn’t used to the consistent food.

“Are you sure you can’t eat anymore?” Remus asked. Harry shrugged and looked away, feeling a little guilty, “I don’t want to eat too much and get sick,” He explains.

Remus nodded seriously, going back to his own food. Harry stared at him as he ate, not wanting to be rude and leave him to eat alone. Remus looked up at him, and saw him fidgeting slightly in his seat, “Well it must not be fun to watch me eat when you can’t. Why don’t you hang out in your room until I call you? Or maybe explore the house a little?” 

Harry considered this for a moment before rising from his seat, “Maybe I’ll explore a little. I don’t really have much to do in the room.” He shuddered lightly, thinking of the weird energy from earlier. He wasn’t ready to deal with that just yet.

“Alright then, if you get lost call out for Pana. She’ll come to you no matter where you are.” Remus told him.

Harry nodded, heading towards the staircase, knowing that most of the activity rooms are on the second floor. Maybe he could find something interesting.

When Harry reached the top of the stairs he promptly realized that he had no idea which way the activity rooms were in. With no other choice in mind, he picks a direction and walks off.

The hallway was seemingly endless, most of the doors being similar, and any doors that were unusual holding things that were completely uninteresting to Harry, like meeting rooms or party halls. 

After a couple more minutes of walking he found his way to a series of archways that led into the activity rooms. Near these rooms was a staircase that led into one of the sitting rooms downstairs. At least he knew how to come back now.

Peeking his head into one of the rooms he found a bunch of canvases and an easel. While painting did seem fun, the brushes were coated with an unusual energy that made him wary of touching them. Deciding that it was not the best idea to touch them before asking Remus, he crossed painting out.

He found a couple of other rooms that didn’t seem that interesting and a training room he didn’t know how to use before he stumbled into the archway at the end of the hall.

The final room was a ginormous library that was covered wall to wall in books. It even had ladders connected to the bookshelves so you could reach the top. Harry was promptly both overwhelmed and amazed. Some of the books were coated in so much magical energy that they shone brightly from their place on the shelves. As he walked around he found they were all about magical topics, such as charms, potions, and hexes. However a book that caught his eye was one that sat high on a shelf in the back wall of the room.

The book shine a bright blue that was almost white, and was by far the brightest book in the room. It was somewhat hid behind two books, and he wouldn’t of seen it if not for the aura around it.

Harry drew the nearest ladder to the wall of books, climbing to the very top shelf. He moved the two books to grab at his target. For a moment, he was almost blinded before the light died down, almost settled by his magic.

The book itself was old and torn, and the paper was almost torn from its spine. However, what stood out to Harry was the title, _The Basic Guide to Void and Elemental Manipulation._ Flipping to the inside, he saw a slightly smudged warning _Outlawed, move behind painting if aurors come._ Considering that the book was not behind a painting, Harry figured that either aurors had not come look or the person who hid it had not had the time to find this painting. Harry himself hadn’t seen a painting in his wandering of the library.

Harry tucked the book in the crook of his arm as he descended the ladder. When he reached the bottom he opened the book back up again, flipping through it. The majority of the book was large bricks of texts with confusing looking runes next to them. From what he saw, the book or it’s topic didn’t do anything bad. He didn’t quite understand why it would be outlawed, but figured this was something he shouldn’t tell Remus about. He didn't seem like the type that would appreciate him breaking the law.

Harry worried his lip between his teeth as he weighed his options. He could take the book to his room and read about this later, or he could leave it here, since it was outlawed. He thought about leaving the book, and putting it back, and it felt physically wrong to leave the book here, especially since he’s deathly curious about the topic of it. He ended up tucking the book under his shirt, rationalizing that he has elemental magic, so he should learn how to control it. He didn’t want a fiasco like the last time he had used it.

So somewhat guiltily, Harry made his way out of the library, a very obvious book shaped lump under his shirt. Luckily, he didn’t run into Remus or Pana on his way to his room. He thought about where he should hide the book, briefly considering hiding it under his pillow, before deciding that the chest was the best place he could put it. He hadn’t realized that it had appeared overnight, but was really thankful that it had. 

With the book safely stashed with the rest of his mother’s books, he walked down the stairs and into the sitting room. Remus was sitting on the couch, putting on his shoes.

“Harry! Just in time! I was about to have Pana go get you. Did you do anything interesting?” Remus asked. Harry glanced to the left, feeling really guilty, “Er, not really. I found the library and, um, read.” Harry’s sentence sounded more like a question than a statement, drawing an odd look from Remus, before he shrugged, “We got a little Ravenclaw here, do we?” 

Harry gave Remus a confused look, not quite knowing what a Ravenclaw was, “It’s a house at Hogwarts. It basically means you’re really smart, basically,” Remus explained. Even though he still didn’t completely understand, he nodded like he did.

“Well, I’m glad you had fun in the library, but we really need to get going now. I don’t want to keep them waiting.” Remus said.

“How are we going to get there?” Harry asked as Remus began to walk. Remus grabbed Harry’s hand as they headed to the sitting room, “They have a floo in their house, so we’ll just floo right to them.” Remus told him.

Remus stopped in front of the fireplace, handing Harry powder from the bowl next to him, “I want you to go after me this time, since we’re going into someone’s house. Do you think you’re okay with doing that?”

Harry nodded sagely as he gripped the powder. Remus stepped in the fireplace in front of them, calling out “Bones Residence,” and in a flash of green flames, Remus was gone.

Harry quickly wrapped his magic around him for his disguise, appearing as the boy he had been in the pub.

After a moment of hesitation, Harry got in the fireplace himself, and disappeared not seconds later.

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The dog hid behind a podium as he waited for the next squad of aurors to pass.

“Goddammit! You had one job!” The head auror yelled, “Ugh! Whatever. Find Black and don’t let this get to the papers. The public would be a mess.” 

The troop of aurors ran off, giving the dog the opportunity he needed to make his escape.

_See you soon, Remus._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! As always thank you so much for reading! And I really appreciate everyone who left kudos and commented last chapter! It really gives me the motivation I need to write.
> 
> Also, side note, I know that nothing major happened this chapter, but it leads up to a few exciting chapters, so it'll kick back up next week!


	12. How to Bring Life to a Room

In a flare of the flames, Harry was in what Remus had called ‘The Bones Residence.’ Luckily, Harry somehow avoided getting covered in the ashes of the fireplace by attempting to curl his magic around his body during the transport.

Once he got his bearings, Harry looked up at the man waiting in front of him. Remus was holding his hand out to Harry. Harry grabbed it, and the two maneuvered him out the fireplace, which had a small gate on the bottom of it.

The two stood awkwardly in what appeared to be a sitting room until a small, red haired girl poked her head into the room. She stared at the two of the for a moment, before running out of the doorway, “Auntie!” She yelled, “There’s people in the sitting room!”

Remus and Harry glanced at each other, sharing a confused look. After a couple of moments, the redhead came back in, accompanied by an older woman. Remus and the woman stared at each other for a few seconds, before the woman extended her arm towards him, smiling.

“Remus, it’s great to see you,” she said, calmly, “How have you been?”

Remus and the woman shook hands, “I’ve been great, Amelia. How are you? And Susan?”

The woman, Amelia, nodded pleasantly, “We’ve been doing well, we heard about you two in the Prophet,” she frowned, “What a nasty woman.”

Remus seemed to agree with her, “Skeeter certaitly isn’t known for being kind.” The two continued to chat as Harry’s attention shifted to the younger girl. She was gripping her aunt’s hand as she stared at Harry.

Harry smiled at her somewhat shyly. She smiled back nervously and released her aunt in favour of walking towards Harry.

“Hi, I’m Susan. What’s your name?” Susan asked. Even though it was a simple question, Harry had to think for a minute. It didn’t seem like Remus and Amelia were all too close, so Remus would probably prefer he used his made-up name, “I’m Henry.”

Her eyes flicked around his face, before she started to smile, “It’s nice to meet you, Henry. Do you want to play while my Auntie and your Papa talk?” Harry nodded, thoroughly bored with the conversation the adults were having. He was also really excited with the prospect of making another friend. He was making more friends this week then he had made in all of his years at school, which was none.

The two ran off towards the staircase. Susan stopped at the door on the left of the stairs. She looked at him quickly before reaching to open the door. 

The room wasn’t nearly as big as the room he was staying in, but it was decorated much better for a kid. Her bed had yellow sheets that matched the walls, and had stuffed dolls littered about her room. She didn’t have a desk like he did, but she had an arts and crafts table instead. All in all her room seemed a lot more fun than his.

Susan walked over to a small box that sat next to her bed. She dug around in it for a few seconds before turning back to him with a wand. It was coated in the greenish magic that surrounded Susan.

“Do you wanna play with my training wand?” Susan asked, “We can take turns!”

“Sure, but what do we do with it?” Harry asked. Susan’s eyebrows furrowed as she looked at him, somewhat confused, “We do magic?”

Harry figured that he shouldn’t sound anymore dumb than he already did, and simply nodded along. Susan gripped her wand tightly, and Harry waited for her to do something before asking for a turn. He’d just follow her lead with the magic.

Instead of doing anything with the wand, she put it in her pocket and went back into the box, withdrawing a book that read _The Starter Wand Handbook_

“Auntie got me the wand as a birthday present, she told me that we always have to follow the spells in the book.” She flipped through the pages of the book, “They’re not all that useful, but I learned how to change the colors of something last week. Look!”

She waved her wand a little and pointed it at the hair on one of her dolls. She waited a few seconds, and when it didn’t do anything she looked back at the book. She mumbled to herself as she read. Suddenly her eyebrows shot up, “Oh, right! Duh.”

She did the same thing as last time, but this time she did it with a shout of, “Colovaria!”

The dolls hair changed from brown to yellow, and Susan released a small, “Yes!”

After a few more seconds the hair changed back to brown, but Susan didn’t seem bothered. She seemed rather giddy about it actually, “It’s super hard to get right. It took me like, a month to get it to do that,” She looked down, whispering to herself, “Though I was trying to make it purple.”

She looked at Harry expectedly, holding out the wand, “Do you wanna try? I’ll help you if you want.” 

After a second, Harry tugged the wand from her hands. The green magic flared for a second, before accepting his own lavender magic, intertwining with it.

Susan flipped back to the beginning of her book, looking for a spell for Harry to try. After a moment’s consideration, she shoved the book into Harry’s awaiting arms, “Here, this one’s easy!”

The page contained a basic explanation of how to do a minor levitation charm. The charm would only last for a few seconds, but seemed like good enough fun to start out with.

Harry skimmed the page lightly before adjusting his hold on the wand. He loosely waved it towards the same doll Susan had practiced on before, focusing on making it move. However, the pull of the wand went straight past his magic and tugged insistently on the energy that existed below it. The energy made its way from the wand in the form of a choppy beam of white light, hitting the doll dead on. 

And the doll did float, for a second, before it bust into a white light and fell harshly towards the floor.

Harry looked at the wand disappointedly as Susan patted his back comfortingly. Susan opened her mouth, only to be interrupted by a shriek that most definitely had not come from either of them. 

The two jumped back in surprise, looking at the floor where the yell had come from. There, on the floor, was the small doll from before scuttling around. It was attempting to lift up it’s too large head from the floor as it shook about.

“No, no, no, no! This can’t be happening,” The doll panicked, “I’m not supposed to be here! Put me back!” The doll lurched towards Harry, and the two kids screeched in panic. Harry’s magic slashed out defensively, cutting off the odd connection he had somehow created with the doll. It swayed on its feet for a second, before finally dropping to the ground, unmoving.

Harry and Susan stared at each other for a second, terrified. Eventually, Susan moved slowly across the room to prod at the doll. Luckily, the doll didn’t move to lunge at her, simply staring up at them like it hadn’t just scarred them for life.

Once she was finished poking at the doll, Susan turned to him with a look of shock on her face, waiting for some kind of explanation. Something in Harry’s face must’ve given away that he had no clue what happened either because her shoulders relaxed, and she gave him a calm, albeit strained, smile.

He gave her a small smile in return, joining her where she was crouched by the doll. The two stared down at it. It was the same doll as before, stitched smile still set firmly in place and dress still sewn into its body. Susan looked at him pleadingly and he grabbed the doll by the hem of its dress and threw it into the toy box in the corner of the room.

With that dealt with, the two sat down on the carpet of Susan’s room. They read and reread the page of the book until Susan suddenly exploded, “I don’t know why that happened! When I did it it just floated up a little bit, and that was it! I mean, the way you did the spell was a… looser way of following the spell, but whenever I screwed it up nothing would happen. I just don’t get it.”

Harry thought about his process of attempting the spell, the only thing he could think of was…

“I think I wasn’t clear enough about what I wanted the spell to do. I just kinda knew that I wanted it to move, I didn’t really focus on how I wanted to do that.” Harry guessed.

Susan nodded somewhat distractedly, reading the page once again. Harry looked around the room awkwardly as he waited for her to return her attention to him, only in this scan of the room he noticed an odd energy in the corner of the room. It looked like a small white blob, but it felt disturbingly similar to the energy in his father’s room. He scooted back, far too close to the blob in his opinion. Susan’s head shot up at the scoot but she didn’t say anything, something Harry was immensely grateful for.

She closed the book and pushed it away from her in one quick move, leaning forwards, “I won’t say anything to my Auntie if you don’t want me to. Just don’t do anything like that near me ever again.” 

Harry nodded fervently, “Thank you so much! And um… I’ll try my best not to.” Susan didn’t seem entirely happy with that, but didn’t fight him on it. 

She suddenly rose to her feet, offering a hand to Harry, “I don’t wanna hang out in here anymore. Let’s go see if lunch is ready.” Harry grabbed her hand, and she yanked him up, guiding him out of the room. With one last look at the energy, Harry exited into the hallway with Susan. She lead him back down the stairs and into the sitting room, where Susan’s aunt and Remus were still talking.

Susan raced over to her aunt, dropping Harry’s hand. She whispered something in her aunt’s ear, earning her a sharp look for interrupting the conversation. Madam Bones heaved a heavy sigh before turning back to Remus, “Well, it seems like the kids are hungry. Are you ready to head into the dining room?”

Remus smiled at her lightly, “Sure, I could eat.”

With that, the group headed out into the dining room. Lunch was already out on the table, but with a quick heating charm, the meal was ready to eat.

Madam Bones looked at Harry in concern when she noticed how little food he had loaded onto his plate. While she didn’t say anything about it, she kept shooting him glances throughout the meal.

Seeing the looks Amelia was giving Harry, Remus quickly intervened, “So, kids, what’d you do upstairs? Did you have fun?”

Susan and Harry looked at each other, before Susan piped up, “We played with my wand. And then um, we played dolls. We had a lot of fun, right Henry?” Harry nodded quickly.

Remus rose an eyebrow, but said nothing about their odd behavior. He probably wanted to tease Harry about it later.

“Well, I’m glad you two had fun. Just make sure to be careful when you handle wands. They aren’t toys.” Remus scolded. Madam Bones laid a hand on his arm, “It’s a training wand. I’m not letting Susan get her hands on a wand until she’s eleven. I can’t imagine the amount of chaos that would go on around here.” The two shared a laugh at that, and Remus looked relieved.

After that, the rest of the meal went smoothly. And before Harry knew it, Remus and Susan’s aunt were promising to see each other soon, and they were getting ready to floo back to the house. Susan gave Harry a hug goodbye, and a whispered promise to throw out the doll. Once they were done with their goodbyes Remus was ushering him into the fireplace. Thankfully, Remus had told Amelia that James had left them the house, so they got no odd looks when they yelled, “Potter Manor,” when they entered the floo.

Soon enough, the two were back home. The moment Harry exited the floo, he was greeted by an over enthusiastic Pana, “Welcome home Little Master! Pana finished up in your room, so as soon as Sir gets home we can go up.” Harry looked at her confused, “What do--”

He was cut off by the flare of the flames behind him. Pana rushed to Remus, tugging on his arm, “Come, come! Pana finished Little Master’s room!”

Remus looked at her, somewhat amused, before grabbing a hold of Harry’s hand, “Let’s go see what’s going on.”

Pana popped the three of them into a room that was almost completely unrecognizable to Harry. The only reason he was able to correctly guess that it was his room was because of the persistent energy that, unlike the energy in Susan’s room had not yet formed solidly.

The room was now painted a light blue, matching the sheets on his now appropriately sized bed. There was a small toy chest sitting next to the bed, and to the right of it was a bookshelf that held some of the books he had seen in the library earlier that day. While those were the major aspects, there were a few more things scattered about the room, like a small broom lying against the door that connected his room to Sirius’s, and a picture frame sitting on the table. 

He couldn’t quite make out what it was a picture of until he approached it. It was a photo of his mother, his father, Remus, and the two other men he had seen in Sirius’s pictures. Behind him, Remus took a deep breath before laying a hand on Harry’s shoulder, “I thought it might be nice for you to have a picture of your parents. I couldn’t find one of the two of them alone but, well, they were all at the other house. I’m sure you recognize your parents and I, but he,” he gestured at the short blonde man, “is Peter, a friend of your parents and I. He, erm, isn’t around anymore. And,” his hand lightly traced the face of the dark haired man, “that’s Sirius. I’ve already told you about him.”

Harry went to make a comment about the odd handling of the picture, only to see the hard set of Remus’s jaw, and the coldness in his eyes. A stark contrast to the way he handled the picture.

“I-- Thank you both so much. I can’t even express how much this means to me,” While he tried to remain strong, the waver in his voice gave away truly how emotional Harry was over it. He wiped his eye with the corner of his sleeve, it was stupid of him to cry over a _room_. 

And while he steeled himself for some kind of comment over the tears, it never came. Remus and Pana only continued smiling at him silently. That is until Pana began to bounce again, “Pana is so glad Little Master likes his room! Pana worked hard all day to make Little Master’s room perfect!”

Harry sniffled, smiling at Pana, “You did a great job, Pana. Thank you.” Pana beamed at him brightly, before gripping Remus arm tightly, “Come, sir. Little Master needs time to enjoy his room! We see Little Master at dinner.” Before Remus could even get out a goodbye, Pana popped the two out of his room, and Harry was left alone to look around.

The second the two exited the room, Harry plopped on the floor, staring at the picture as he scanned the room again. He hadn’t ever had a room of his own, and the fact that someone had created this room solely with him in mind was incredible. He almost never wanted to leave the newfound comfort of his room. Even if he was slightly unsettled by the quickly growing feeling of the unknown energy that existed in his room. 

However much Harry wanted to relax and enjoy his new room, he couldn’t get the incident from earlier out of his mind. From what he understood, when Susan tried that spell, her doll most definitely did not come to life. There had to be some correlation between the fact that he hadn’t really used magic, per say, for the spell and how horribly it went wrong. 

In a split second decision, Harry dug around in the chest for the book he had found before. The magic that he usually drew out from the area below his magic had always been related to the four elements. Maybe he could find some answers in a book that was specifically related to the four elements.

He pulled out the book from the chest and flipped to the table of contents. He skimmed over titles of chapters that didn’t really relate to what happened until he found something that may seem useful. _The Fifth Element, Void --- Page 432_.

He turned the page, skipping past the first thirty or so chapters. The moment he made it there, he felt a blast of cold air from behind him. His eyes skimmed the first paragraph of the chapter: 

_The basic understanding for most is that there are four elements; Fire, water, earth, and air. This assumption is greatly incorrect. The fifth element, void, has been with us longer than Mother Magic has. So long as the existence of death is a prevalent theme in our society, the existence of the void will remain. As void is in fact the opposite of the previous four elements, which together create life. For the power to manipulate void is the power to manipulate the dead._

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A large black dog laid down in the bushes by a large house in the middle of nowhere. It was a house that he had been in many times, so many times that he had basically lived there during his teenage years.

He watched the form of a small house elf bustle around the property. He hoped that it was Luzu, or Pana. They were sweet. He hadn’t really given them much thought in Azkaban, but he missed them.

He shifted a little in the grass, and the house elf’s eyes shot towards him, looking around the grass. After a couple of moments, the house elf seemed to shake it off, continuing with her weeding.

Eventually, the house elf looked at the house sharply, and popped away, giving him the perfect opportunity to approach the door.

In a few seconds, there was a rough looking man where the dog had once laid, wearing the rags of what might’ve been prison clothes.

The man got up, shook off the dirt and weeds, and slowly made his way towards the front door, hoping all the while that he wouldn’t immediately be killed by his only living friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, a lot happened this chapter that I cannot wait to expand upon next week! I really hope you all enjoyed it, and that you continue to like the way I take the story. Thanks so much to everyone who left comments and kudos last chapter, your support means so much to me.
> 
> Also, fun fact about this chapter, while I was writing it I was listening to the Count of Monte Christo soundtrack and on multiple occasions accidentally wrote down random words from the lyrics rather than the words I wanted in the sentence. Which is probably why it took me so long to write this chapter.


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